The Perfect Gift
by Snoring Dragon Productions
Summary: (3rd-Mango series) Sunil's birthday passed but he wasn't at LPS to celebrate it! The pets are determined to throw him a party. Mango must think of a gift for her best friend. How can she with chaos in the Day Camp and in her head. Why are her friends acting weird? Why are Sunil and Vinnie fighting? Who told Russell they thought she was pretty?
1. Chapter 1: Alone

Chapter 1: Alone

 _I was utterly and completely alone. The only pet in the entire world. Forced to spend the entire day without the company of a good friend. Two in fact. I looked around at my surroundings. The world was bleak and colorless. I felt no urge to run and jump and play like I normally did. My breath came out in large, pathetic bursts as I sighed. I was so lonely. So bored. I glanced up to see a pink monkey running toward me. My day just got worse. I knew that this monkey meant me no harm. That she was only trying to make me feel better. But when you are bored and alone for a long time you tend to get irritable._

Mango set down her pencil and looked up. She saw Minka racing to her. Her ears began to fall ever so slightly. She had nothing against Minka and considered her a very good friend. But she was not _the_ friend that Mango wanted to see. She plastered a smile on her face once Minka stopped in front of her. Minka was a nice pet and Mango did not want to hurt her feelings by looking disappointed that she had arrived.

"Hiya Mango! Whatcha doin?" Minka practically screeched into Mango's ear. She had a pleasant voice most of the time, just not when she was excited.

Mango tried to ignore the ringing in her ears as she responded. "I was just writing in my journal." She pushed the yellow notebook toward Minka. It was small and covered in bright orange flowers. A blue ribbon stuck out of the top. It helped mark where Mango left off whenever she wanted to write in it. Even though she let Minka look at it, Mango kept one paw on the book so that it could not be grabbed. Everything in there was private and meant for one pet's eyes alone. She did not want Minka blabbing everything that she wrote to the other pets.

Minka's eyes grew larger and larger the longer she stared at the book. She began to reach for the blue ribbon. "What is that?"

Quickly, Mango snatched the book out of Minka's reach. She protected it with her body the way a mother protects her child. Her fur was standing on end. She forced it down and looked at Minka calmly. "Do not touch that. It marks my place and it is very special to me."

Minka nodded quietly. She itched to know why but kept her mouth shut. Even though she knew Mango would never do anything to hurt her she did not want to get her angry. Minka stood there for a few minutes quietly until she burst out, "Why aren't you playing?"

Mango was taken back by the sudden noise but composed herself quickly. "Because Sunil isn't here and Vinnie hasn't arrived yet. Everyone else is busy." She motioned toward the other pets who were all absorbed in their own thing.

Minka looked around and understood. Mango loved the other pets, but she felt most comfortable with the two she had named. The two that happened to not be there. She felt sorry for Mango and wanted to say something to cheer her up. Minka snapped her fingers as she thought of what to say. "Vinnie can play with you once he arrives!"

Mango began to smile at the thought of playing with Vinnie. Then they heard a noise from the front of the Pet Shop. It was Mrs. Twombly talking on the phone. Mango and Minka strained their ears to hear what she was saying.

"Vinnie won't be coming in today? That is too bad. Oh well, we will see him tomorrow."

Minka slowly turned to Mango. Mango looked like she was ready to snap. She slowly began to back away, laughing nervously the entire time. "So, uh, I gotta go. See ya later Mango!" With that Minka sprinted toward her tire swing. Behind her she could hear a howl of pure outrage.

 _I have just made the unfortunate discovery that one of my best friends will not be coming today. Vinnie has something that is keeping him away from the Pet Shop and me. I plan on asking him about it as soon as he arrives tomorrow. Unfortunately, that means I still have to make it through the entire day alone and abandoned. I can feel the cold, icy paws of boredom grabbing me now. This day is bound to be an uneventful one. My eyes are growing heavy. I can fight it no longer._

Mango gave a final moan, then collapsed to the ground. She could feel her eyes closing. Sleep was coming for her and she had no intention of escaping it. She gave one final sigh before she shut her eyes completely. Before she could fall asleep she heard paw steps coming her way. Opening one eye, she noticed a purple dog walking her way. Mango rolled her one eye and opened the other one. Even if she was not in the mood for company, besides her best friends, she did not want to be rude. Zoe walked and sat down in front of Mango just as Mango was beginning to sit up.

Zoe fluffed her ears while she talked to Mango. Mango wondered if she was ever _not_ fluffing her ears. "Mango darling, I was wondering if you happened to see my squeaky lobster?"

Mango sighed and shook her head no. She had no idea where Zoe had left her lobster toy. Unfortunately for Zoe, Mango could not bring herself to care. Mango tried to keep her ears up as she looked at Zoe but they eventually fell down and lay flat on top of her head. Zoe noticed before she could bring them back up. Mango tried to keep her eyes from rolling as Zoe began to talk.

"Mango, is there something wrong?" Zoe asked. She stopped fluffing and began looking at Mango with concern.

"Yes." Mango said bluntly.

"What is it?" Zoe leaned forward. She loved gossip. Maybe Mango had a juicy secret to tell.

"I don't have a juicy secret." Mango replied through narrow eyes.

Zoe was taken aback. Sometimes Mango was scary. She still wanted to know what was wrong though, so she tried again. "If you tell me what is wrong maybe I can help you."

Mango sighed. "I am the universe's squeaky lobster."

"Come again?"

"The universe loves to bite into me over and over again just so it may have the pleasure of hearing me squeak. If it tries to bite into me one more time today I fear that my squeaker may run out. Now, please leave me alone to suffer." When she was done talking Mango collapsed onto the ground in front of Zoe.

Not knowing what else to say or do, Zoe slowly backed away from her troubled friend. As she turned around to walk away she murmured, "People say _I'm_ dramatic."


	2. Chapter 2: Ribbon

Chapter 2: Ribbon

Mango had finished feeling sorry for herself. She had moved on from self pitying to self loathing instead. She could not figure out whether that was a step backward. In her mind she belittled herself for being so dependent on her two best friends. The moment they were gone she fell apart and she _hated_ that. She was Mango. A lone wolf. She could rely on herself. She did not need anybody.

 _I guess not._ Mango thought as she stared at the Littlest Pet Shop door. She heard the sound of bells coming from behind it and smiled. She loved that sound so much. It brought her back to the day she had come to the Littlest Pet Shop. The sound of the bells had soothed her so much. She could feel her body relaxing and all the tension being released from her muscles.

Her first day had been hard. She had been alone and sad for a good portion of it. But it had gotten better. Mango thought that if her first day hadn't of gone so badly she might not have even become such good friends with Sunil. She smiled as she remembered how he had been shivering as he came into the fire hydrant. She also remembered how indifferent she had been when she realized it was 'just the Mongoose'. Mango giggled. She hadn't realized back then how special 'the Mongoose' really was.

She stared down at the book she held in her paws. It was her journal. She loved to write down the things that happened to her everyday. That way she could look back on them if she ever wanted to. It was interesting to see what she had thought back then and how her views had changed. No one else in the Pet Shop kept a journal. Mango thought that Blythe might have one but she had never asked her. It did not matter if she had one or not, journals were private.

The small blue ribbon peeked out of the pages. Mango remembered when she had been given that ribbon. Sunil had taken a trip to India for a week with his owners. Mango had missed Sunil but she had Vinnie and the other pets to play with. When they had hugged Sunil good bye Mango felt like her heart was shriveling up. She expected Vinnie to be affected even more by Sunil leaving. Surprisingly, he had been perfectly okay and had spent the entire time with her. If she didn't know better she could have swore that Vinnie was happy that it was just the two of them. But that couldn't be right. Sunil was his best friend and he would never be happy that he was gone.

Mango was so excited when Sunil returned from his trip. Everyone else was too. Mango didn't even notice that Sunil had packages when she ran up to him. He had shouted out with his arms outstretched, 'I come bearing gifts!'

Mango hugged him before anyone else, only a split second before Vinnie. Then the rest of the pets, and Blythe, can rushing toward Sunil. The gifts were fabulous! Russell got a thick book on India. Penny Ling got a box of Indian candy. Minka got some new paints and brushes. Pepper got a snake charmers flute. She began to play it and move her tail like a snake. Zoe got a bag filled with beautiful fake jewels to put on herself. Blythe got some fabric with different designs on it. Vinnie got an instruction video on how to do Bollywood dances. Lastly, Mango had been given the blue ribbon. While everyone else was admiring their gifts, Sunil had slipped Mango to the side of the crowd and given her the ribbon. He had said that the moment he saw it he 'just knew it was for her'.

Now she caressed that ribbon in her paw. She loved the color. It was the color of Sunil's fur. When she had it she felt like he was there with her. She wished he was there with her. Mango sighed and hugged the ribbon. Sunil was on another trip to India. He was only going to be gone for a couple days this time but it felt like forever. Mango looked at the ribbon again.

 _I hope you are having a wonderful time in India Sunil. Come back soon._


	3. Chapter 3: Birthday Bash

Chapter 3: Birthday Bash

Russell was walking toward the feeding station. He was going over his checklist and that always made him hungry. His stomach began to growl loudly. Shushing it, he rubbed it softly. This caused one of his papers to fall out of his checklist and land at his feet. He bent down to pick it up, then froze when he saw what it said. Not believing his eyes, he quickly picked it up and began to read. His eyes grew wider and wider with each new word. He sprinted over to the feeding station when he noticed a panda eating from it.

"Penny Ling! Penny Ling! I have to tell you something important!" Russell was out of breath when he reached her.

"Russell, what is it?" Penny Ling asked with her mouth full of bamboo.

"I was going over my checklist when I found this." He held up the paper in front of Penny Ling.

Penny Ling read it. Then she looked at Russell with a confused expression. "It's a list of everyone's birthdays. What's the problem?"

Russell shoved the paper into Penny Ling's face. "The problem? What's the _problem?_ The problem is that Sunil's birthday is today!"

Penny Ling's mouth dropped. "But Sunil is in India! How am I supposed to give him a special birthday hug?" Her eyes were beginning to feel moist. She felt ready to cry.

"Don't worry Penny Ling. I'll think of something." Russell began to scratch his chin as he thought of what to do. Suddenly he jumped into the air. "I've got it! Call a meeting of all the pets!" He dashed off to a far off corner of the Pet Shop. Leaving Penny Ling alone and very confused. Shrugging, Penny Ling walked off to find the rest of the pets.

 _Today Sunil showed me an incredible magic trick. He made a Mango appear inside of his hat, then he made it disappear. When it reappeared it was no longer a Mango, it was a Mango smoothie! He knows those are my favorite and he gave it to me when he was done. It was so sweet. I shared some with Sunil when he was done with the trick. After we were done I had Mango all over my face. I wiped it off and asked Sunil if I looked okay. He told me that I was 'as beautiful as the sunset shining over a grove of Mango trees.' Sunil is such a sweet talker. He really had a way with words. I could just lie there and listen to him talk for hours. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Sunil._

 _"_ Mango! Mango, I need to talk to you!" Mango looked up and saw Penny Ling running toward her. She hid her book underneath the pillow she was laying down on. She wondered what was so important.

"Penny Ling, what is it?" Mango asked while cocking her head to the side. It was a habit she had. Whenever she was curious she couldn't help but cock her head to one side. It made one of her ears flop down over her head. Sunil said that it made her look absolutely adorable. Mango had giggled when he said it, his eyes had gotten so _big_! She fought the urge to giggle again as she thought back to that day.

"Russell wants a meeting of all the pets. It's an emergency!" Penny Ling yelled out quickly. She then turned away and began running toward Pepper.

"Emergency about what?" Mango yelled after her.

"Sunil's birthday!"

The pets were all lined up in front of a cardboard box. On top of the cardboard box stood a little hedgehog holding a clipboard. In front of him sat a very fidgety monkey, a chewing panda, a fluffing dog, a staring maned wolf, and a green stinking skunk. Everyone had created a wide circle away from her. Pepper just sniffed and said, "I'm nervous."

"Uh huh… Anyway, I called this meeting because I have just discovered something. Promise me that you will not freak out. Promise?" Russell began.

"Penny Ling already told us what this meeting is about Russell. It is about Sunil spending his birthday in India." Zoe said while brushing her ears.

Russell shot Penny Ling an annoyed look. He had wanted to be the one to tell.

"Sorry." Penny Ling said while taking another bite of bamboo.

"Oh well. Yes, that is why we are here. How are we supposed to celebrate Sunil's birthday if he is gone during it? We need to find a way to make it up to Sunil. He must be devastated right now." Russell looked toward the other pets pleadingly.

They all began to murmur among themselves. They were trying to think of a way to make it up to Sunil. Finally, Minka jumped into the air with a loud, monkey screech. All of the pets turned to look at her, wondering what could possibly have sparked this reaction. She just continued to jump up and down making monkey noises. Russell smiled, then he slowly frowned. He looked at the clock. It had been five minutes. Rolling his eyes he yelled out, "MINKA!"

She stopped jumping and looked at Russell questionably. "What is it Russell?"

"Would you mind telling us what your idea is?" Russell asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that part! Well, anyway, it is like this. We throw Sunil a giant _birthday_ BASH!" She yelled the last word in Penny Ling's face, causing her to roll backward right into Mango.

Mango brushed herself off and looked at Russell. "Sounds like a great idea to me. Just as long as we remember it is for Sunil."

But no one was paying any attention to her. They were all talking excitedly about what they could do for the party. Minka had begun to jump up and down again. Mango frowned. This was not good. She walked into the mass of talking pets and tried to get their attention. She poked Minka in the side but was ignored. She pulled Pepper's tail but was again, ignored. Sighing, she finally filled the air with an ear splitting howl. Every pet stopped talking at once and quickly covered their ears. Mango continued to howl for a few more minutes. She knew they were listening to her, but she could not resist. Mango couldn't wipe the smirk off of her face as she saw their reactions.

"That sound, I can't take it!" Minka yelled out.

 _Enough fun._ Mango thought as she ended her howl. She then cleared her throat. "Hey everyone! Mango here, just wanted to remind you of a teeny tiny detail you might have forgotten. This is _Sunil's_ birthday party." She let that one comment hang in the air for a while as the pets realized what she meant.

"Mango is right everyone. Sunil doesn't want explosions and confetti and fireworks." Russell told the other pets.

 _Fireworks?_ Mango raised one eyebrow. That one was definitely Minka's idea. _How were they even going to pull it off?_

"We need to think about what _Sunil_ would want." Russell explained to the other pets with his arms outstretched.

All of the other pets began to agree with him. They held their heads down and mumbled their apologies. They had gotten so excited about planning a party that they had forgotten who the party was for. Minka stopped jumping. She realized that a party for Sunil wasn't going to be much of a party at all. It would have to be quiet, nice, and boring. She plopped to the ground. Her eyes darted back and forth nervously. Mango noticed and began staring at Minka. Her eyes narrowed, Minka was planning on saying something. Something that she didn't know the other pets would like.

"Hey guys?" Minka began nervously. Every pet turned, except Mango who was already staring her down. "Maybe we should just forget the party."

Everyone gave a collective gasp and Minka winced. Mango fought the urge to growl. Minka gulped and continued to talk. "It's just that… well, a party for Sunil won't be like a party at all. I'm sure it will be boring. If none of us are going to have fun then why do it? I doubt that Sunil will care if we throw him a party or not. You know how he hates surprises."

All the pets looked at one another. To Mango's horror, they all slowly began to nod their heads. Mango was distraught. No one wanted to throw her friend a party because they thought that it wouldn't be any fun for _them._ Suddenly Mango wasn't sad anymore, she was furious. They were all being selfish little pets who cared about no one but themselves. Her fur began to puff up and she let it. Vinnie wasn't there to help her defend Sunil's honor. She would have to do it on her own. Mango bravely stepped forward into the throng of talking pets.

"You can always hug him when he gets back Penny Ling." Russell was talking to Penny Ling when he noticed Mango come through the circle of pets. He stopped and began to stare at her. He did not like how calm she looked.

 _It is always calmest before a storm._ Russell thought as he saw the rage in her eyes.

Mango cleared her throat and began in a quiet voice. "I think we should throw the party for Sunil." She waited for the others reactions.

Everyone began talking at once in pure disbelief. They couldn't understand why Mango would want to throw such a boring party. She surely was not going to have any fun. If they didn't enjoy themselves, what was the point? They continued to talk and talk, thinking that they were getting through to Mango. If they talked long and hard enough she might change her mind. Mango was just standing there still as a statue.

 _The lone figure stood against the mass of enemies. She was not scared. She stood there for her best friend. The pets before her wanted to stop the celebration in his honor. The warrior would not allow this. Her every instinct told her to stand her ground. Normally she would have back up, but her other friend was ill and far away. Mango would have to stand alone. But she was not alone, not really. Mango could feel the spirit of her friend with her as she stood against the others. They would not win._

Mango allowed herself to be swept away in her day dream. Allowing the fantasy she created to give her strength, she prepared for battle. Her body tensed as she no longer saw her friends, but fierce monsters from the shadows who wished to stop her journey short. Her eyes narrowed. She would not go down without a fight.

Russell looked at Mango. He noticed her body tense slightly. He could tell because she began to stand straighter and her tail had puffed slightly. The others had not noticed this and continued to talk to her. Russell shook his head. When Mango got like this everything went in one ear and out the other. Nothing would stop Mango. He did not know how she did it, but somehow Mango was able to zone out all the distractions. All she focused on was what she wanted to accomplish and she stood up against anyone who wanted to stop her. He sighed. How did the timid, cowardly Sunil deal with such a headstrong pet?

 _Mango was standing her ground. But the monsters were quickly approaching. They got closer and closer to her. She planted her feet firmly on the ground. She would not budge. Breathing in deeply, she fed on her best friend's presence. Drawing strength and courage from him. Her eyes narrowed as she focused all of her energy on messaging her far away friend. She let him know that all was well. She could do this. The monsters began to fire arrows at her. These arrows were laced with reasons why the celebration should cease to exist. They whizzed by her, harmlessly going around her and lying flat on the ground. Mango smiled. Her friend was a Magician and his protection spells always worked. Another arrow flew by and fell. Mango's smile grew. Always._

Russell began to step forward. He passed the talking pets, who stopped talking when he approached Mango. They knew that this conversation was no longer theirs. If anyone was going to persuade Mango, it would be Russell. If he succeeded, they succeeded. If he failed, then they failed along with him. Russell smiled to the pets as he passed. Trying to send them a message of confidence. But internally he was confused. Mango confounded him constantly. She was always saying or doing something strange. He shook his head. The other pets might be irresponsible, but at least they were understandable.

 _The leader began to step forward. Mango braced herself. She knew that this was going to be the final battle. It all came down to this. The leader was completely covered in cruel spikes that grinded together when he walked. Mango did not pay any mind to those dangerous spikes. She was protected. He approached her slowly. The other monsters had quieted down. It had been agreed that the fight was theirs and theirs alone now. Mango took a step forward. This surprised the leader, he took a step back. Mango smiled. That was her goal. If she could keep him confused, she could keep him guessing. Pets who were guessing about what their opponent was going to do tended to stop thinking about what they were going to do._

Russell stopped and took a step backward. Mango had just moved forward. She had not moved at all while the others were talking to her, but when he had stepped forward she had moved. He did not know whether this was a sign of a _challenge_ or acceptance. Either way, he began to study Mango in order to find out what she was thinking. It was important to know what your opponent was thinking. That way you could appeal to them and get them to do what you wanted. This was a battle of wits. He cleared his throat and began to speak. "Mango, we need to talk."

 _The leader spoke. He demanded that they communicate with each other. She nodded slowly and lowered her ears. This sign of subordinateness would throw him off. She went from challenging to accepting. This would cause the leader to be torn. He would be pleased that he was winning and want to continue. But he would be on his guard because he wouldn't know whether it was a trick. Which in a way, it was. Mango smiled, this had turned into a battle of wits. She planned to win._

Russell was pleased, Mango had lowered her ears. This meant that she was giving in. Or did it? He wasn't sure what to think now. This could be a trick. Or it could be a sign that she was beginning to see things their way. Russell decided that the best way to approach this was to be cautious. He would tell Mango exactly what he thought and use logic to win her over. Satisfied with his choice he decided to do just that.

 _She kept her ears lowered. But that did not mean her courage was. She still stood as tall as ever in her heart as she stared at the leader. Mango knew that he would approach cautiously, because that was the kind of monster he was, then try to use logic to win his argument. His way usually worked because he normally knew what he was talking about. It wouldn't work this time. Mango knew that if she wanted to have a prayer of winning she was going to have to use all of her wits. This was the moment that would decide between victory and defeat._

Russell cleared his throat and began his argument. "Mango, everyone here thinks that it is a bad idea to have this party. Everyone except you. I don't think it is fair to the others if we have this party." He stopped so that Mango could think about his words. He figured that the match was already over. He had won. Russell smiled, he had expected no less.

 _Mango stood perfectly still. The leader had began to speak. His voice was high pitched and grinding, like two rocks being scraped together. It was a defense mechanism. If he could make you surrender just by speaking to you, there would be no need to use his spikes. Mango resisted the urge to shake her head in an attempt to clear her ears of the ringing noise. She had to make him think that she was listening. Then she could launch her counterattack. She tensed her muscles, it was almost time._

Russell noticed Mango move slightly. She was tensing up, as if she planned something big. It was not for a physical attack. Russell knew that Mango would never attempt something like that. It was a mental attack that was about to be launched. It was then that Russell realized that this was far from over. He saw Mango start to talk. It was only beginning.

 _Mango began to communicate with the leader. She kept her words soft and smooth. That way the leader would have to work in order to try to hear her. If he was focusing his energy on hearing her argument, he would be unable to figure out one of his own. It also gave the double illusion of consent and rebellion. She smiled slightly, adding to the double meaning of her tone. She would let the leader decide what he thought she was doing. "Not every pet agrees we shouldn't have a party. In fact, one pet isn't here." She waited. Her first shot had been fired._

Russell was shocked. Mango had a point. But that was not what troubled him. He was troubled by the fact that he could not read Mango at all. She could be feebly grasping at straws, or she could be completely set on what she thought. Each situation needed a different reaction. If she was already giving up, he should pull the numbers game. Overwhelm her with the facts and figures so she would think that there was no chance of her winning this argument. But if she was still fighting then he should keep calmly stating facts until she surrendered. He thought for a moment, then decided to go the safe route. "Mango, the party won't be fun for anyone. It is pointless to throw it."

 _Mango tensed as she waited for the leader's reaction. He was still trying to show her why he was right. His voice had gotten even louder. It drilled into Mango's ears. She gasped as she tried to shake off the pain. Her teeth clenched, she was not going to fail. The leader advanced on her. His cruel eyes glistened with joy as she took a while to respond. He believed he had won. Mango fought the urge to growl. He had not. "One pet would have fun."_

Russell was speechless again. Sunil might like the party, but he wouldn't like to see his friends disappointed. He snapped his fingers softly as he decided how he would bring her down. He was going to steer the conversation into the subject of Sunil. Then he would let her come to that conclusion on her own. Sunil was her best friend so getting her to talk about him would be easy. He smiled at Mango and raised his eyebrow. Game on. "What would Sunil do at the party?"

 _Mango raised her eyebrow. The battle had begun. She drew strength from the spirit of her friend. Her eyes flashed with defiance as she faced the giant spike ball. There was no point in the false surrendering act. It was time for the real battle to begin. "He would be surprised and have a wonderful time." Mango knew that this was not what the screeching ball of spikes meant. But that was the answer he would receive. Mango smiled. She swore she could hear the laugh of her friend._

Russell smiled back. This was going to be interesting. "But would anyone else?"

 _Mango could see the swirls of light surrounding her, giving her strength. She could hear a faint laugh. It was the laugh of her friend. The laugh she loved so much. So full of life and joy. Her eyes flashed. She would not fail. "The party isn't for anyone else."_

"But Sunil would like to see his friends have fun."

 _"He won't see them have fun if we don't have a party."_

"He might see them _not_ have fun."

 _"You're right."_

"He might- what?"

 _"You know what's best for everyone. The time you gave Minka that new paint set. Or the time you baked Pepper that pistachio pudding pie. Remember the time you showed Zoe how to hit a high C?" The time was almost right. The leader would be falling into her trap soon._

"I remember. I also got a special candy box for Penny Ling and new tap shoes for Vinnie." Russell swelled with pride as he momentarily forgot about the battle of wits he was in with the maned wolf in front of him.

 _The fierce warrior smiled. It was almost time to win the battle. "I still remember when you gave me that story book about dragons. You have done something good for everybody, haven't you?"_

"Yes. Everyone." Russell paused. "Everyone?" They had missed someone. He looked at Mango with a mixture of surprise and guilt. Slowly, he nodded.

 _She had won. The battle was over. In her mind she called to her friend, letting him know that the celebration would continue. The fierce warrior nodded to the Spiked monster in mutual understanding. Her reality began to fizzle and fade as she melted into a different world. Her world._

Mango looked at all of the other pets. They were staring at them, hard. Each one had their eyes glued to either Mango or Russell. She smiled. They still had not figured out that she had won. Her smile turned into a smirk. She would let Russell handle this one. Glancing at the nervous hedgehog, she casually walked into the throng of pets and sat down. Raising one eye brow, she motioned for Russell to continue. He sighed, gave her a glare, and began to explain to the other pets what had happened.

"Mango has convinced me that we should throw a party for Sunil." Russell said. He winced and shut one eye, waiting for the others reactions. He was surprised when he was met with a stunned silence. An array of shocked faces stared at him. Mingled into the mash of surprise was a single pinprick of smug. He frowned at Mango and gave her one more glare. She just responded by giving him a playful wink. She had won and she knew it. Mango also wanted to be sure that _Russell_ knew it. He groaned.

Mango couldn't help but chuckle slightly. _He knows it._ She cleared her throat and began to talk to all of the pets. "So, what are we going to do for Sunil's birthday bash?"


	4. Chapter 4: Planning Is Good

Chapter 4: Planning Is Good

It was complete and utter chaos. A tornado, wrapped in a hurricane, dressed in a hundred different colors, and shopping on Black Friday could not have been as chaotic. The pets were trying to plan the party for Sunil. But something caused them to stop. It wasn't a lack of ideas. They had plenty of ideas. They had _more_ than enough ideas. The problem was that they had _too_ many ideas. Most of which, wouldn't even work. Fireworks were too noisy, and expensive. A ten foot cake was too big, and expensive. A singing, dancing elephant with a tiny hat was way too big… and expensive. It seemed that every good idea had a flaw to it regarding size, sound, money, or Sunil's fears. The pets were starting to get frustrated.

Russell was in the thick of it all. Trying to maintain order as the pets began to grow antsy. They stopped talking to each other and began talking at each other. Getting swept away by their ideas and talking to no one at all. Soon the talking at one another had turned into disagreeing with each other. Disagreement had turned into frustration, and frustration had turned into a horrible argument. Pets now were scattered everywhere. They argued in little groups all around the Pet Shop. Sometimes when they had argued for a while in one group they would break off and join another one. The arguing was pointless and it seemed like some pets weren't even sure _why_ they were arguing. But the same word kept coming up over and over again.

"Sunil wouldn't like fireworks!"

"Sunil hates avocados!"

"Sunil is scared of curtains!"

Sunil had turned into the center of every conversation. But not in a good way. The pets needed someone to blame and Sunil was the one. If their ideas were bad then they needed a reason, so they used Sunil. Russell panicked and rolled into a ball. He was helpless and could do nothing but roll around in circles while the pets argued. Finally, as if he accepted defeat, he just stopped and lay there. Mango walked over to him and nudged him with her paw. She sighed. Russell was defeated. Now there was only one pet that could stop this. She just hoped that she could.

She walked to the center of the room and tried to get the other pets attention. She barked and yelled and screamed, but no one paid any mind to it. Growling, Mango decided that _one_ thing would make everybody quiet down. Inhaling as much air as she could, Mango let loose a loud, long, echoing howl throughout the whole Pet Shop. Everyone stopped arguing and started holding their ears shut as the howl penetrated through. They were too shocked to scream. All they could do was hold their heads and wait for Mango to stop. Finally she did and the pets unanimously gave a sigh of relief.

Mango cleared her throat gently. It was amazing how she could switch form loud to quiet in an instant. "Everyone listen. Remember who we are doing this for. This is a party for _Sunil_. He always does his best to be there for us and now it is our turn to be there for him. He shows us his magic tricks. He keeps our secrets. He persuades us to follow our dreams. We never gave back. I want to give back and I know you do too. If we are coming up with ideas then he should be the center of them. But not in a negative way." Mango began to walk to the separate groups and rounded them all up into one big group in the middle of the Pet Shop. "We need to say Sunil likes this and Sunil loves that. What do you say?" She gave them a winning smile and raised her paw into the air. The leader always did that before a huge victory.

"YEAH!" A chorus of yells came from the pets in front of her. They were ready to do this for Sunil. Not for any of them, but for him. They smiled at Mango for a moment before they came up with a plan.

"Alright pets, I have an idea for how we can get this done." Russell turned to Mango. "Mango, you are one of Sunil's closest friends. With Vinnie gone, you are going to have to be the one to tell us what is and isn't Sunil friendly. Ok?"

Mango nodded. "Ok. I'll do my best."

"I don't doubt it." Russell turned to the other pets. "Now lets get to planning. Planning is good." Russell pulled out a small clipboard from behind him and began to write.

After that the planning went smoothly. Each pet came up with at least one great idea for the party and Mango told them whether or not it would be possible. All the while Russell was writing away on his little clipboard. He had no doubt that this party was going to be a wonderful one. They all just needed to work together to throw it. Mango sat down in front of the line of pets as she listened to each and every idea. She was very optimistic. Although there were are few bad ideas in the mix, most of them were usable. The pets in front of her really understood their friend.

Pepper came up. "What about if we have a big cake, one that is taller than Sunil!" Her tail exploded in a puff of pink.

Mango nodded. The cake idea was good, Sunil loved cake. "No boysenberry filling, Sunil thinks that it looks gross."

Penny Ling was next. "We should have a big dance area where we can have fun and dance together." She threw in a few dance moves to prove her point.

Mango nodded again. "Perfect, Sunil loves to dance. We need a DJ and techno lights if we can. Sunil loves to robot dance."

Minka wanted to give Sunil a huge fireworks show, but Mango said it would be too loud. So they settled on a paint fireworks show. Minka would throw her paint cans into the air and have them splat on a canvas in the shape of fireworks. Russell had loved that idea. Then they got an idea from Zoe. She wanted to give have the whole Pet Shop decorated in blue and yellow. Blue for his fur and yellow for his eyes. Mango said yes, but no curtains. Then she had offered some suggestions as well.

Mango said that the cake should be Pistachio upside down cake because that was Sunil's favorite. A bowl of Mangos would need to be included as well. They should have games to play like truth or dare, red light green light, and freeze tag. Those were a few of Sunil's favorite games. He was so good at them because he knew how to stay absolutely still. Sometimes it looked like he wasn't even breathing. When Mango had asked him how he did it Sunil just shrugged. He didn't know, but it did come in handy when he had to hide from the many things that scared him. Lastly, Mango decided that every pet _must_ attend a special magic show put on by Sunil. The pets groaned but finally agreed when Mango's eyes narrowed. Sunil had been working on a trick for weeks now and really wanted to show them it. The pets did not know that because Sunil had been to afraid to tell them. He had assumed they would blow him off and not show up. Now they had no choice.

 _You're welcome Sunil._ Mango thought with a sly grin.

Russell looked over the checklist one more time to make sure that he had not forgotten something. As usual, he had gotten the checklist right the first time. But he still began to triple check it for good measure. When he was done he gave everyone their assignments. He would be in charge of ordering the cake from Sweet Delights. He would tell Blythe and she would tell Youngmee. Minka had to practice her 'fireworks' show, so she would not splatter paint all over them. Zoe had a _lot_ of decorating to do, but she loved it and rushed away to get started. Penny Ling and Vinnie were going to be in charge of the dance floor. Penny Ling would be able to find 'the pretty light the spun around' as she called it. While Vinnie found a suitable DJ that they could dance to. Pepper was in show buisness and always used a stage when she performed her comedy routines, so she would be in charge of putting together the perfect stage for Sunil's magic performance. Mango was in charge of games. She had to put a list of games together that they could play during the party. Mango nodded her head, that was going to be easy.

"Let's do this pets! The party will be held two days after Sunil shows up. That way everything is perfect and Sunil won't suspect anything. It will be right as he walks through the door so the party must be finished! Ok?" Russell told the pets in front of him. They all yelled out a loud, 'OK!', then went to work.

Mango smiled. This was going to be great. Sunil would be in the Pet Shop the day after tomorrow. The party would be held two days after that in the morning. It was perfect. That gave her three days to plan. The fourth day did not count because that morning they were having the party so there would be no time to plan anything. She straightened herself up. She had work to do.


	5. Chapter 5: Valuable Says 'I Care'

Chapter 5: Valuable Says 'I Care'

The next morning was a bustle of activity for the pets in the Littlest Pet Shop. They rushed to and fro, coming from one side of the Shop to the other. Then running back to where they started because they realized that they had forgotten something. It looked like absolute chaos. But it was _organized_ chaos and it all had a purpose. Everyone was making wonderful progress on their assignments. It seemed like most of them would be done that day. Then it would be smooth sailing for the birthday party.

Mango trotted over to Russell and handed him a piece of paper. It was a list of all the games they could play together. She had written down as many as she could think of and that had given her a long list. He was pleased and took it from her with a smile. Then he rolled over to go find Blythe and tell her about the cake they needed. Mango sighed. She had finished her assignment, but now she felt kind of useless. She did not want to overstep he bounds and take someone else's job so she wandered around and watched. When she came to Zoe she thought of something. How was Zoe supposed to decorate when Sunil could not see that there was a party going on? Concerned, Mango decided to ask her.

"Oh, that little problem." Zoe replied when Mango was done voicing her concerns. "I already thought of that. I will be staying overnight the day before Sunil's party. My owners are going out of town and I can't come. All I need to do is stash the decorations where I need them, then at night I can put them up."

Mango nodded. She was impressed. That was a very smart idea. "Well, looks like you don't need any help so I'll just go." She began to turn away slowly.

"Ok Mango." Zoe had already gone back to sorting through the different blues. She was trying to find one to match the color of Sunil's fur. She began to mumble to herself. "Too dark, too light, not that one."

"Sunil is a light teal. Third color to the left." Mango called out as she was walking away.

Zoe looked up in surprise. She didn't even know the exact color of her own fur. How did Mango know Sunil's? She shrugged and just grabbed the color Mango had said. She held it up to a picture of Sunil next to her. It was a perfect match.

Mango was so bored. She had nothing to do. The worst feeling in the world is when there is nothing to do, but all you want to be doing is working hard on something. She groaned and began to flex her paws. She wanted to be doing something for the party. She _needed_ to be doing something for the party. But her meager part in the planning was done and she had nothing to work on. Sighing, she laid her head down on a pillow and whined softly. Immediately her head shot up in a burst of energy. She knew what she had to do. It was important for the party, herself, and Sunil. Laughing Mango raced off to find her notebook.

When she had uncovered it from its secret hiding place, buried in the tubes, she laid it out in front of her. She hid it in a different place every day so it would not be discovered. Thoughtfully scratching her head, Mango stared at the book in front of her. She caressed it's bright yellow cover and looked at its small orange flowers. Mango had no idea why she had grabbed her notebook. It had just felt right. Now she was staring at the book with no idea on what she was going to give to Sunil for his birthday.

 _What can I do for Sunil that will show him how much I care? I want to give him something that shows him how much I know about him. I'm not good with words, at least not when they are not on paper._ Mango got a wonderful idea. A smile spread across her face as she began to write in her book.

Zoe had finished planning all of the decorations for Sunil's party and she had to admit, everything looked fabulous! The balloons would come the next day, the streamers were hidden under the cushions, and she had even found confetti to rain down on Sunil when he entered the room. Now she was thinking about what to get Sunil for his birthday present. It had to be something Sunil would like. It also had to be expensive. Expensive gifts were the best because they showed exactly how many dollars worth you cared about the pet. She figured Sunil would need a gift worth around a couple hundred dollars. After all he was her friend. Of course if her were someone else, like Pepper for instance, the gift would be maybe three hundred. He was a good friend but that did not mean he was on the top of her list. In fact, he was very close to the bottom. She did not have time to reflect on that because she noticed Mango alone of the floor. She looked as if she was writing on something. Interested, Zoe walked over.

"Mango, whatever are you doing?" She asked as she peeked at the book.

Quick as a cobra, Mango slammed the book shut. It was private. "Just working on Sunil's present."

"What is it? Are you writing a list of ideas. That seems like something Russell would do." Zoe said, narrowing her eyes. She was suspicious. Why did Mango shut the book so quickly? What was she hiding?

"No. I am writing the present. It is for Sunil." Mango said with a smile.

"Oh. Mango, darling." Zoe put her arm around Mango. She did not want to embarrass her so she lowered her voice. "You can't give something _homemade_ to Sunil for his birthday."

"Why not?" Mango asked as she stared at her book.

"Because it will show that you don't really care about him. Everyone knows that the more money spent on a gift, the more you care about that person. If you give him something you made for free then you're saying that he means zero dollars to you." Zoe explained in whisper.

"That's not true. If I care enough about Sunil then I go through the hard work of making him something. It shows that I want to give him something special and personal. Money does not mean anything. Although some pets think it means everything." Mango said with a sideways glance at Zoe.

"I don't know who those pets are but _I_ know what I'm talking about." Zoe said while pointing to herself.

Mango rolled her eyes. She was used to the other pets not getting her subtle hints. Even Sunil missed them. "What are you getting him?"

"I am getting him something worth around two hundred dollars." Zoe said with a shrug. For her a mere two hundred was like buying a gum ball.

To Mango the number gave her a shock. It was a really big number and it could buy a really great gift. Something much better than what she planned on giving Sunil. She looked at her tiny book and her ears lowered. "Oh, well, let me know when you figure out what it will be."

"Of course. Bye Mango!" Zoe yelled as she bounded away, completely unaware of the state of despair Mango was in.

A small tear rolled down Mango's furry cheek and landed on her book. Her tiny, insignificant, cheap book. She sighed and lowered her head. Zoe was right. Her book meant nothing. It would be a mere speck compared to Zoe's giant, dazzling, two hundred dollar present. Mango thrust the book under a cushion. She did not want to look at it. Moaning, her head rested on her arms as she pondered her problem. She had no money. She couldn't just throw away a couple hundred on a gift like Zoe could. Sniffling, she looked around and noticed one pet walking by.

"Russell!" Mango whispered. She noticed his ear twitch and tried again. "Russell!"

Russell turned and looked at Mango. "Oh, Mango what is it?" He noticed her red eyes and rolled over quickly. "Are you okay?" His voice was filled with concern.

"Yeah. I was talking to Zoe and-" Mango began with a sniff.

"Zoe huh? What did she do now? You are every bit as talented and beautiful as she is and she has no right to make you think otherwise!" He began to turn around to find the purple dog when Mango grabbed his arm.

"Russell no! I'm not sad because she… you think I'm talented?" Mango said in shock.

"Of course. You have an amazing singing voice. Great storytelling skills. Mango, your mind is brilliant as well." Russell listed off some of the traits he admired about Mango.

"Thanks, that is really nice Russ-" Mango stopped as she realized something else. "Russell, did you call me beautiful?"

Russell's cheeks turned red. "Sorry Mango. Not that it isn't true!" He quickly yelled out before Mango could think he had insulted her. "I was just saying something I hear all the time. This pet tells me that practically every day and when I was trying to make you feel better it slipped out."

"Oh, really?" Mango's ears pricked up.

"Yes. Everyday, it is always… isn't Mango pretty? Or, look how beautiful Mango is. Even, do you think Mango is hot? Why I can hardly talk to him without-" Russell stopped. He face began to turn a vibrant shade of red. He was pretty sure that those comments told to him were supposed to be private. He had nearly told her the pet's name. Quickly he changed the subject. "Why were you upset?" He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Oh, right." Mango shook her head as she tried to remember why she had called Russell over in the first place. "Well, it is almost Sunil's birthday and I want to make him a gift. A homemade gift."

"That sounds great." Russell said with a smile. He was mostly relieved that the conversation had steered away from his little slip up. Pets trusted him and he needed to keep that trust.

"But Zoe said that a gift only matters if it is expensive. My gift is completely free which means that Sunil means as little to me as this speck of dust." Mango cried out. She did not actually have a speck of dust but she thought it would make a good reference.

"Mango, a gift doesn't need to be expensive. People and pets care about the thought that goes into a gift. Not the amount of money it is worth. Don't worry so much. Sunil knows that Zoe thinks that a valuable gift is the best and he knows that you think a homemade gift is the best. He will love both of them." With that Russell began to roll away.

"Yes, I know he will love both of them. But which one will he love _more_? Valuable gifts are hard to beat. According to Zoe, valuable says 'I care'." Mango hung her head. She knew Russell was right, but she also knew that Zoe was right as well. If she followed Russell's advice she either made Sunil a gift that showed him how much she cared for him or she made him a gift that made him think she hated him with a vengeance. If she followed Zoe's advice she could buy him a gift that would show him how much she knew about him and that she cared. Sunil would not be upset that he didn't get a homemade gift if he was looking at a brand new magic kit. She stood up. Her heart felt heavy but she knew what she had to do. Now all she needed to do was find a way to get the cash.

Russell was hiding behind the pet toys. He did not want to talk to anyone at the moment. He was making a mental note to be more careful about what he said around Mango. He sighed. It was a good thing the pet that had said those things to him was not around, otherwise things could have gotten awkward. He shuddered. Russell only wished that the pet would say those things to Mango instead of to Russell behind Mango's back. She had a right to know and based on her reaction, it seemed like she wanted to know. He scratched his chin. He would have a talk with the pet to see if he could speed things up a little. He knew love took time, blah, blah, blah. But he also knew when two pets were too oblivious for their own good.


	6. Chapter 6: Something To Tell

Chapter 6: Something To Tell

Vinnie walked into the Pet Shop with his head held high. This day was going to be different. Today he was going to tell a certain orange pet how he felt about her. He did not know why he had wanted to tell her so badly that day. It might have been the fact that Sunil was still in India. Sunil was always hanging out with him and Mango. Or maybe it was _Vinnie_ that kept hanging around _them_. He frowned for a moment. He did not like it when it was put that way. It made him look like the clingy third wheel. But it wasn't fair to make Sunil look like the clingy third wheel either. He stopped for a moment to think. Mango couldn't be the clingy third wheel because she was the center for both of them. So who was?

No matter which way he put it the answer always came out wrong. He thought some more. Then he decided that there was no third wheel. Whatever vehicle they were only had three wheels. Like a wheelbarrow. He thought some more and realized that wheelbarrows had one wheel. But despite that, it was encouraging to know that it would only be him and Mango. He had a day to win her over. That way when Sunil came back from his trip, Mango would be his. Vinnie stopped walking again. That was not the kind of thought that a best friend should have. Vinnie decided that he just wanted to surprise Sunil with the good news. Because Sunil _would_ think that it was good news. He would think that Vinnie stealing away Mango when he was on a trip to India was good news.

Vinnie decided that he would just stop thinking about it.

When he walked into the day camp area he was pleased. All the pets were busy doing their own things and no one was paying any attention to Mango. He would be able to serenade her in peace. No one noticed as he walked in, not even the pet he was looking at. She was hunched over a small yellow book. It looked like she was writing in it but he could not make out what was being written. He arched his head to try and get a quick peek. But before he could see anything Mango slammed the book shut and turned around. Her face turned from one of anger to surprise.

"Vinnie! You're back! That is so great I have something I need to tell you." Mango began speaking quickly without even stopping to take a breath.

Vinnie stepped back a little. He loved Mango but she could be a little overwhelming when she was excited. "Great because I have something that I need to tell you too."

He led Mango away to a far off corner of the Pet Shop. He planned to just tell her what he thought of her and that he loved her. Then she would yell out that she loved him too. She would hug him and be only his. He would sweep her off of her feet and dance with her. A smooth, flowing, rocking dance that held their bodies close together. She would lean her head on his shoulder and look up at him with adoring yellow eyes. Then he would bend his face down toward hers and-

"Vinnie, are you okay? You look a little red."

Vinnie snapped out of his daydream. He could feel his face heating up. He looked over at Mango then snapped his head back in front of him. He decided that he was just not going to look at Mango for the rest of the trip. When they reached the corner he turned back toward her. Vinnie could feel his heart pounding. His hands sweating. His throat became dry and scratchy. Mango was staring at him, waiting for him to tell her something. He began to panic. On the way to the Pet Shop he had planned everything that he would say to her. All of that planning flew out the window. He couldn't remember anything. Panicking, he tried to think of something, anything, that would save him. Then he remembered that Mango had said she had something she needed to tell him. If she went first he would have time to compose himself.

"Why don't you say what you need to say first. Then I can go." He said as smoothly as he could. Which was not very smooth at all.

"Okay. Vinnie, guess what?" Mango's tail began to wag faster and faster. "We are going to throw Sunil a birthday party!"

"We are?" Vinnie was confused at first. Then he began to get excited. A party for his best buddy was perfect. Sunil was missing his birthday at the Pet Shop and Vinnie knew that he would be disappointed if he didn't get to celebrate with his friends.

"Yes! Russell had the idea and we all are pitching in on it. Maybe you can help out by putting together a show for Sunil and you need to find a DJ for the party too. You also need to think of a birthday present for him. The party is two days after Sunil shows up. It will be in the morning so be ready." Mango said with a beaming smile. She knew that Vinnie would think the party was a splendid idea.

"I will. I'll make a special dance for the party. Then I'll go and get him a great gift." Vinnie said while doing little bounces up and down.

"Aren't you going to make a gift?" Mango asked. She was trying to act uninterested but internally she was dying to know the answer.

"I think I'll just buy him something. I'm not very artsy and I know he will appreciate it if I just get him something he'll like. Trust me. I know Sunil and Sunil wants something he can actually use." Vinnie told Mango while trying out a few dance steps.

Mango's ears began to lower but she forced them to stay up. She did not want to bother Vinnie with her troubles. He already had enough to do for the party. She opened her mouth to say something cheery to show Vinnie that she was ok, but he was already racing away to another corner of the Pet Shop. He called back over his shoulder. "Got to get started on the dance. Talk to ya later Mango!" He waved good bye and she waved back. It wasn't until a few minutes later that Mango realized Vinnie had never said what he wanted to tell her.

Vinnie made it to the far off corner of the Pet Shop. He began rehearsing some new dance moves he had thought of before he suddenly stopped. His mouth dropped open. He never told her.


	7. Chapter 7: Advice

Chapter 7: Advice

Mango walked quickly. She did not want anyone to know she what she was up to. She needed advice. There was only one pet in the Pet Shop that she trusted to give her advice and that was Russell. He was smart and considerate. He had a way of talking to you that made you feel not only as if he understood you, but as if he was going through the problem with you. It seemed that he treated your problem as seriously as if it were his very own. She smiled, he was definitely one of her best friends in the entire Pet Shop. Not her _very_ best friend. But definitely near the top of the list.

Mango swung her head from side to side in a desperate attempt to locate the spiky hedgehog. He wasn't anywhere. She sighed. This was going to be hard. She needed to talk to him but she could not talk to him if she could not find him first.

Her mind was flooded with questions. Most of them regarded Sunil's gift and his party. But one more question kept nagging at the back of her mind. Growling, she continued the search for Russell.

Finally she found him hiding behind a large pet bed reading a book. It was thick and leather bound. The cover was a deep blue. The pages looked crisp and fresh. It was a new book. But about what? Mango stalked quietly toward Russell, hoping to find out what Russell was reading before he noticed she was there. She could almost see what was on the page. She made out the words… Two households. Suddenly, almost like the snap of a Cobra, Russell shut the book. He turned toward her with a questioning look on his face.

Mango blushed. She hadn't come over to spy on him, but that was what it looked like. She cleared her throat and began awkwardly. "Um, Russell, I need some advice. I wanted to ask you a few questions. If that is okay." She added quickly. Mango did not want him to think he was her personal therapist. After a moment of silence she began to turn away. It was obvious that he did not want to help her. She fought the urge to deliver some snide comment like, 'Oh well, can't blame someone for trying to get some help.' That way he would know that she only wanted help and that he did not help her with anything. Russell was her friend however and a really good one. He was always there to give advice when needed and she knew that she could give him a break this one time. Mango knew that he surely had earned it. As she turned around she heard someone clear their throat. Her ear twitched and she turned her head to look at Russell.

"Mango, what's troubling you?" Russell asked while setting the book down gently.

Mango sighed in relief. She really had wanted to talk to Russell, only at that moment did she realize how badly she needed to talk to him. "Russell, you know that Sunil is my very best friend. You also know that I want him to get the best gift in the whole wide world." She began pacing back and forth. Her words were getting quicker and quicker as she talked and her eyes began to adopt a crazed look.

Russell knew how to deal with pets like this. You simply let them rant for a moment, then gently steered them into the direction you wanted them to go. He wanted to know what the problem was and he knew Mango would get there eventually. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. "I know all of that Mango. Now, tell me what I _don't_ know."

Mango turned to him with watery eyes. She was embarrassed at being this emotional in front of him but she could do nothing to stop the moisture from coming out of her eyes. "I already asked you this question Russell and I am _so_ sorry for asking again. But I need you to think it through twice. Zoe believes that a bought gift is best. Money says I care, at least that is what she says. Even Vinnie is going to _buy_ Sunil a gift. I tried to make something for him Russell, but it is just not good enough. So, do you think I should buy Sunil a gift?"

Russell gave Mango a warm smile. It was this kind of thing that told Russell that Mango really cared for Sunil. If she didn't care, she wouldn't care what Sunil thought of the present. He took a deep breath and prepared to give Mango some more advice. "Mango I-"

"I know you are going to say that I should just make something for Sunil and pay everyone else no attention. But let me ask you this Russell, what are _you_ doing for Sunil's present?" Mango interrupted suddenly. She looked as if that particular thought had just crossed her mind.

"Well…uh…I'm…" Russell began nervously while scratching the back of his head with one paw.

"Yes." Mango said while leaning closer. She stared hard at Russell, as if she was seeing whether or not he was lying.

"I had planned on buying Sunil a book about magic tricks…" Russell trailed off when he saw the look on Mango's face. He was buried deep and had no way out.

"You were going to let me sink by making Sunil a present, while you were planning on swooping in with a _bought_ magic book?" Mango had to try hard to keep the quivering out of her voice. Whether it was from rage or being completely _betrayed,_ she had yet to find out.

Russell was on the brink of panicking. He had never been in a situation like this before. His friends came to him with a sea of problems and questions and he fixed them. That was the role he was meant to play. Never before had he been the source of the problem and never had the anger been directed at _him_. He gulped and tried with great effort to remain calm. He gestured with his paws for Mango to calm down. "Let me explain. I am not crafty like you. I can't make something worth giving as a birthday present. I am an organizer, a leader."

Mango averted her eyes from his pleading face. She did not want to make him feel this way, but she knew deep down that she had to. It was the only way to get an honest answer. Sighing she let her ears drop slightly. She could feel Russell's eyes burning in the back of her head. He felt terrible, she just knew he did.

"Mango, how can I make it up to you? How can I redeem myself in your eyes?" Russell pleaded with her. He had to find a way to make it up to one of his close friends.

"I came here for a truthful answer and I am going to get one. If you answer this one question honestly than I don't care _what_ you give Sunil." Mango turned to see Russell's reaction. He seemed pleased. He could answer one question easily. She tried not to let her emotions show, otherwise Russell might have guessed what the question was.

"Ok Mango. One question, it's a deal!" He said while holding out a tiny paw. Mango shook it for a few seconds, then let it drop to the side.

"Remember when I first asked you about what to give Sunil?" She began slowly. Trying to find just the right words.

Russell nodded just as slow. Panic was creeping in again as his mind raced to try and figure out what the question would be before it was too late.

"Well, you told me something very interesting. Something that a certain pet says to you every day. Something _I_ found very interesting. I was wondering…" Mango dragged her question on long and slow.

Russell was trapped. He had nowhere to turn. It was answer or lose Mango's trust. He gulped, knowing what was coming next.

"Who said it Russell?" Mango's voice was so low it was almost a whisper.

She was met with silence. He couldn't trade one friend's trust for another. He had promised that pet he would never tell and he never would. Mango would have to accept that. His paws clenched into little fists. Keeping it inside felt awful. He wanted Mango to know almost as much as _she_ wanted to know. Gulping slowly, he tried to think of something he could say, _anything_ he could say to get Mango to leave him alone. His eyes widened when Mango took a menacing step toward him. She was normally so sweet and shy.

" _Who said it."_ Mango had a desperate need to know. She didn't know why. She just knew that she _had_ to know who this pet was. It was eating her up inside. Making her stomach feel as if a colorful swarm of butterflies were dancing around inside of it. Her eyes glazed over with tears unshed. Mango tried to hold back the emotions, but it was like a dam ready to burst. She had to get the name now before she burst into tears right in front of Russell. Quickly she turned her head away from her friend as if she was disappointed in him. That was not the case at all and she berated herself in her mind for being so deceitful.

"Fine." Was all she could choke out before she hurried away to find refuge from his big, green, hedgehog eyes. But even as she broke into a run she could still feel them burning in the back of her head.

Russell was sitting on his favorite blue cushion in the Pet Shop. He could not get the encounter with Mango out of his head. Even though she had tried to hide it, he could tell that she was on the verge of tears. He groaned. Then, without thinking he punched the soft cushion under him. It felt good. So he punched it again, and again, and again… and again. Soon he was punching away, releasing all of the built in stress he had inside of him. It felt _good_ to do something senseless for once. But when he was done venting his anger he still had to get up and rearrange the lumps in the cushion. After all, he planned on doing serious thinking on it.

With his frustration gone Russell was finally able to tackle the problem at hand. Mango was hurting inside and she didn't know why. She probably thought that if she knew who said those nice things about her the hurting would stop and everything could go back to normal. To the way things were _before_ she realized that pets noticed her. His paws somehow found their way up to his temples. Russell began to try and rub away the small headache that was beginning. This was a difficult puzzle to solve. Calming down after taking a few deep breaths, Russell decided to solve this problem the way he solved all puzzles. One piece at a time.

First he had to find all the pieces. Taking out his clipboard, he made a quick list of everything he had to deal with. He titled it Mango's Admirer.

Mango's Admirer

Figure out why it is bothering Mango

Calm Mango down

Talk to pet who said it

Convince him to tell Mango

Be there in case they need you

Smiling, Russell read over his short list one more time. It seemed simpler than he had thought it was. All he needed to do was solve the problem with Mango. Then he could convince the pet to tell her what he kept telling Russell. The dilemma would be solved and Russell would be there to help clean up any mess that might be left over. Feeling very smart, Russell decided to get started on his plan right away and went to find Mango.

 _..._

 _Mango was in a forest. She was running through the leaves. They fell down and gently caressed her face. The breeze felt warm and loving. Closing her eyes, she let the calm rush over her like a wave. She was completely at peace. Her bright, yellow eyes slowly opened as she gazed at the leaves surrounding her. Suddenly the leaves bunched together and began to form an object. It was a pet, but that was all she could figure out. She couldn't see the body or the face. It was too fuzzy and unfocused. But the eyes, they were clearing up. Mango tried hard to see the eyes. She felt somewhere deep inside, that all she really needed was the eyes._

Gasping, Mango woke up underneath the Pet Shop slide. Growling, she pounded her fist on the floor. She had _almost_ saw them! They were right in front of her face and she had woke up! It was too much. Mango lowered her head and sighed. Even though she wanted to know who had said all those nice things about her, another question bothered her even more.

 _Why do I care?_


	8. Chapter 8: Too Dim To Fall In Love

Chapter 8: Too Dim to Fall In Love

Russell walked around the Pet Shop, trying in vain to find Mango. He could not see her anywhere. He began to worry that she had been picked up without him noticing. Tapping his pencil on his chin, he began to reread the list. It was a small list and an easy one to complete. As long as he found Mango soon. Sighing, he quickly covered it with a blank piece of paper. He did not want any wandering eyes to see what he was up to. It would mean lots of questions. Not only for him, but for Mango too.

 _I don't want to cause Mango any more trouble than she already has._ Russell thought as he scanned the room for the third time. He had no idea what to do now. He saw Pepper going through her props and decided to walk over. Maybe she had an idea of where Mango was.

"Pepper! Hey, Pepper! I need to ask you something!" Russell called out to the Skunk.

"What is it Russell?" Pepper turned and looked at him with an impatient face.

Russell couldn't help but feel a little annoyed with her. He was trying to do something nice for Mango and she was giving him the glare like he was a problem. He tapped his small foot in response to her tone. "I was just looking for Mango. What were you doing?" He eyed the small pile of junk she had in front of her. His keen eye noticed wind up teeth, fake glasses, a rubber chicken, and a rubber arrow. "This doesn't look like stuff for a stage. Are you done already?"

Pepper had the decency to look ashamed. She shuffled her feet nervously and gave a small giggle. Her eyes wandered around the room as if she was searching for the words she needed to explain. Her mouth opened and closed a few times but no sound came out. "Heh, heh, heh. I was gathering supplies for the stage…"

"And…" Russell said slowly while giving her a scrutinizing look.

"And… I got distracted." Pepper finished. That was all she could think of.

Russell raised his eyebrow at Pepper and waited for her to continue. He waited in silence for a few minutes before he realized that Pepper wasn't even going to try and defend herself. He sighed and rolled his green eyes. It was just like Pepper to get distracted and not even have a good excuse. Russell didn't know whether he should be relieved that Pepper was accepting the fact that she was wrong, or upset that she had _no_ good reason to be doing what she was doing. "Pepper, what _have_ you done on the stage?"

Pepper's eyes seemed to flash with outrage at Russell's accusing tone. "I don't like your tone buddy! I have hung up a curtain, found some spotlights, made a sign, and organized Sunil's magic props!"

Despite his disappointment in Pepper, Russell was impressed. It seemed like the stage was almost done. That is, if Pepper had actually done the things she said. "Did you do all that Pepper?" He squinted his eyes at her in an attempt to squeeze the truth from her. Pepper's eyes began to dart back and forth. They went from Russell, to the props, to the floor, back to Russell. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on her forehead. Russell moved a little closer. Pepper swallowed a lump in her throat. She was beginning to shake. Her smile looked forced.

"Pepper." Russell said only one word.

Pepper said about a dozen. "OKAY! I ADMIT IT! I didn't do any of the things I said I did! But I was _planning_ to! I went in here to find the curtain and then I saw the pie and when I took out the pie I got an idea for a great comedy routine and I forgot about the stage! I FORGOT! There I said it!" She raised her paws in the air and fell backwards. Right on top of her wind up teeth.

"YOUCH!" Pepper bolted into the air and landed right in front of Russell. She then began to run around in circles with the teeth clamped firmly on her tail. All Russell could do was roll his eyes.

"I'll ask someone else." He said as he walked away.

He found Zoe sitting on a pillow in a corner of the day camp area. Smiling, he walked over to her. She was one of the more intelligent pets in the day camp area. Surpassed only by Mango, Sunil, and himself. He frowned a little as the thought crossed his mind. It was not polite to think of yourself as being smarter than your friends. He looked over his shoulder to see Pepper still running around in circles with the fake teeth on her tail. He rolled his eyes. Sometimes it did seem true.

"Hey Zoe! Do you know where Mango is?" Russell asked as he approached the purple dog. She gazed up at him with bright blue eyes. Her lashes fluttered slightly as she yawned and shook her head no. Russell's shoulders slumped when he got her answer. Now he had to continue his search. Turning away he stopped when he heard her murmur something.

"What did you say Zoe?" Russell asked. Maybe it was something he could help with.

Zoe looked at him as if she was surprised she had spoken out loud. "Oh, I was just thinking out loud." She turned her head away and averted her eyes. Russell understood the hint and began to walk away. First he gave her a gentle smile to make sure she knew that he was not upset about her not telling him. If it was important she would have let him know.

He looked down at his list and sighed. This was getting harder and harder. It would be impossible to complete the list and help his friends if he could not even find one of them. Russell gazed around the Pet Shop. No, he would not give up. His friends were everything to him and he was going to do everything in his power to help them be happy. With a new found determination Russell straightened his spines and set off to find Mango.

Zoe looked up to see Russell walking away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Russell was a good friend and all but she did not want him knowing what she knew. Giggling to herself she fluffed her ears. Pulling out a mirror from under the pillow she was laying down on. Her lashes looked nice and thick. Her ears were smooth. She opened her mouth and checked her teeth. Everything seemed nice and fabulous. Grinning she put away the mirror. Her grin faded quickly.

 _I haven't seen Mango. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen Vinnie either. Could they be? No! It couldn't be! I would have noticed… wouldn't I have?_ Zoe thought as she stared at the ground in front of her.

She liked to consider herself a love expert. She had experienced love many times and knew what it felt like. She also knew what signs to look for when checking to see if someone was in love. Zoe sighed and lay down on her back swooning. She knew the signs very well. They would have a dreamy look on their face and in their eyes. They would giggle whenever they were around the pet they liked. Whenever the were sure the other pet was gone they would go on and on about how great the pet was to whoever would listen. Zoe rolled over onto her stomach and narrowed her eyes wickedly. Now things got intense. They would begin to daydream about the pet _all the time_. Daydreams that left them confused and sometimes blushing as they realized what they were feeling. Next was attempts to win the pet over. Subtle attempts to make the other pet fall for _them_. It ended two ways. With wonderful success or horrible failure. Zoe stretched and frowned. So far none of her love interests had ended in success. She had fallen in love many, many times.

 _Maybe I am not as big of an expert as I thought._ Zoe thought as she looked for Vinnie. She could not see him anywhere. _No, that is crazy! Vinnie is too dim to fall in love. Especially with someone as complicated as Mango. He is better off with someone of his own… speed._

Zoe laughed and waved her suspicions away. Besides, she was sure that something was already forming between Mango and another pet. She had _way_ more confidence in that relationship working out. If they both were after Mango then it would end in…

"Disaster…" Was all Zoe could say before it hit her. She had been right the first time. But she hoped with every fiber of her being that she wasn't. Then she thought some more. Mango was such a shy, plain pet. Maybe a little disaster was just what she needed.


	9. Chapter 9: Dance With Me

Chapter 9: Dance With Me

Vinnie was hiding behind the chair in the day camp area. He was nervous. Very nervous. Super nervous. He had never _been_ so nervous! His entire body sweated. His hair was slicked over his face; he tried to wipe it away but it just kept falling down. Groaning, he gave up and let it lay there. What was the point? He was never going to work up the nerve to go with his plan anyway. Frowning, he hugged his knees and stared at the wall. Purple eyes kept filling with water and he kept wiping them dry. Breathing hurt, his stomach hurt, his heart hurt. His _mind_ hurt.

 _Mango is not Sunil's. Mango is not Sunil's. Mango is not Sunil's._ No matter how many times he said it in his head he could not bring himself to believe it. She might not be Sunil's, but she was not his either.

He groaned even louder and laid his head on his knees. He was frustrated with himself. He was usually so cool, calm, and collected. Like a block of ice that could never be melted no matter how hot the flame. But Mango came along with a blow torch and turned him into a puddle of water. Vinnie straightened up and forced a determined expression onto his face. He steeled his nerves and stilled his frantically beating heart. He was not a creature of flesh and bone. He was a creature of love and passion. He _would_ win over Mango and he _would_ make her his.

"Come on Vinnie! Pull yourself together! You can do this! I mean… _I_ can do this!" He whispered to himself in an effort to give himself confidence. Grinning with new found determination he strutted out from behind the couch… and dived into the box of pet toys.

It took every ounce of self control he had to stop from screaming like a little girl. Only a few inches in front of him was Mango. She was walking slowly, her ears fell forward in defeat. Try as he might, he could not stop himself from staring. Her orange fur had a soft glow in the light. It rippled like waves and softly caressed her sleek body. With tiny, soft steps she walked passed the box silently. She always moved silently, even when she was running. Vinnie liked that about her. How graceful she could be when she was not even trying. He sighed and got lost in her bright yellow eyes. They always seemed to relax him. He could get lost in those bright pools of sunlight. Framed by thick, fluttering lashes that flowed in the breeze. Vinnie squeezed deeper into the toy box and remembered a time when he had tried to tell Mango how he felt.

 _..._

"Mango… you are the prettiest girl I have ever met."

"Thanks Vinnie! You look great too." Mango had said with a friendly smile. A _friendly_ smile. She was returning a compliment.

"No, really. You are amazing. You are smart and talented and funny and graceful." Vinnie went on. His voice was getting more urgent. Sunil was over by the food eating and this was the first time he had been alone with Mango all day.

"Stop it… you are great too! I love the way you dance. It is amazing." Mango said with the same smile plastered on her face. It drove him crazy. How could he love her and be irritated with her at the same time?

"Mango… I… I-" He cut off as Sunil walked over.

"Hi Sunil!" Mango instantly called out when she saw the mongoose.

"Hello my friends! I was famished but now I am pleasantly stuffed! What are we talking about?" Sunil asked as he sat down on the other side of Mango.

"Nothing." Vinnie mumbled as he glanced at the ground so Sunil wouldn't see the disappointment in his violet eyes. "Nothing at all."

"Oh. Okay then. My! Mango, you look absolutely lovely in this light! So bright and orange with a hint of yellow glow." Sunil said while facing Mango. He was not even looking at Vinnie.

"Thanks Sunil! You look great too. So blue and bright with a hint of a tealish glow." Mango said, slightly teasing Sunil for the way he worded his compliment. But her eyes had sparkled. Vinnie could swear her smile got a tiny bit bigger.

 _..._

Scowling, Vinnie shook his head to get rid of the irritating memory. She had not even taken him seriously. He had poured out his heart and soul to her and she had not even given it any thought. For a moment he considered not letting Mango know how he felt at all. Then he heard a sound that made his heart stop. It was low and hard to hear but he strained and was able to make it out. It pulled him forward toward the closest where Sunil had set up his surprise for Mango. Vinnie still remembered that day clearly. He had felt so happy and _jealous_ when Mango had hugged Sunil. Shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts. He had to find out where the sound was coming from.

Pushing the door open, he peeked inside and saw a faint orange shape in the distance. It made a low moaning sound that molded itself into a kind of faint howl. Like the sound of the wind on a cool autumn night. It was beautiful and sad at the same time. It made him want to cry, but he held the tears in and continued to listen. Gently swaying in the still air, caressing his face and kissing his soul. The music soothed him. His feet gently began to sway with the swooping tune of the song. Gently they moved side to side. Soon his arms were moving as well. Tracing the path of the song as it wound itself around him and led him forward. Mango was not facing him. Her back was turned and she stared out into the distance. It was as if she was witnessing the surprise all over again. Smiling softly, Vinnie went with the song and danced.

Up and down. Happy and sad. The soft howling was everything and nothing at the same time. It moved with Mango's emotions and was as jumbled as her thoughts. She was unsure and so was the song. Vinnie loved it. He loved how the steps changed for every line and how he never knew what was coming next. But no matter how high or low the notes got, the song was always slow and gentle. As if she was desperately trying to soothe herself. He danced closer and closer. He danced and danced and danced. Not making a sound.

 _What good is dancing to a song like this without a partner?_ Vinnie thought as he turned to see Mango still staring into the distance. Watching a show he could not see.

Gently, he grabbed her paw and lifted her onto her back legs. She stopped howling the moment she felt his touch. Her yellow eyes were big and scared as she turned around. Vinnie winced on the inside. He should have remembered how easily she was scared. Mango was almost as bad as Sunil. She was just better at hiding it from the others. But no one could hide fear from him. He had been Sunil's best friend for so long that he could notice the faint flashes of fear in a pet's eyes before they laughed it off. Vinnie was happy to see that the fear vanished as soon as she knew it was him. She trusted him.

"Vinnie, what are you doing here? Did you hear me!" The last question was more of an exclamation of terror than a question. Mango scanned him with her eyes, forcing the truth out of him whether or not he wanted to answer.

"Yes I heard you." Vinnie said. "I thought it was great!" He added quickly when he saw the flash of fear cross her eyes again. She hated when people heard her sing. He sighed inwardly. No matter how many times she was told she was great she never believed them. She was constantly putting herself down in her mind. Convincing herself that she was no good and that singing was something she could only do in private. If only she had Zoe's confidence. Vinnie chuckled, Zoe's confidence probably intimidated Mango more than it helped. With a star running around the Pet Shop she probably figured that no one needed her singing.

"I am not that good. Sorry, if I was too loud. I was thinking." Mango's words drifted off as she looked back into the distance.

"I thought it was good." Vinnie looked around the closet and realized that they were alone. He looked back at Mango. She was still turned the other way. "Dance with me?"

Instantly she turned her head back to Vinnie and widened her bright eyes. "W-w-what?"

"Dance…with…me." Vinnie emphasized each word so she could not claim she did not hear him right. He flashed her a winning smile.

"No thanks. I don't dance." Mango tried to pull away but Vinnie only tightened his grip on her paws. Not enough to hurt her but enough to prevent her from running away. Which is what she was planning on doing. Sometimes she thought Sunil was changing her more than she was changing him. Sighing she looked back at Vinnie. His purple eyes seemed to plead with her.

"Come on. One dance." Vinnie said while holding his grin.

"No." Mango said firmly. She had to get the message across quickly before he could change her mind. She pushed away from the gecko and started to walk in the other direction.

"Mango!" Vinnie called after her. But she was already through the door. Gone.

She didn't want to dance with him. He had come on too strong. He had scared her off and now she probably would never be alone with him again. Groaning, Vinnie sat down on the floor and stared at the wall that Mango had been looking at only a few moments ago. He wished he could hear some more of that beautiful song. He wished he would have waited until she had finished her song. Maybe then he wouldn't have scared her. Maybe she wouldn't have thought he had heard. Maybe then she would have danced with him.

 _What is the point? She would never dance with me. She only dances with rich,_ good looking _, super star mongooses._ Vinnie thought bitterly. But deep in his heart he knew there was only _one_ mongoose he was upset with… and that scared him most of all.


	10. Chapter 10: It Was Fun

Chapter 10: It Was Fun

Mango walked away from the closet quickly. Her sanctuary had turned out to be a trap. She had assumed she could be alone there to wallow in her thoughts. But her privacy had been breached by a green gecko who had asked her to dance. She did not know why she did not want to dance with him. He was one of her best friends and had danced _all_ the time. So why did the thought of one dance frighten her so much? It was true that she was not so fond of dancing in front of others. But she still did not think that she should had just said no and walked away. She felt bad for how she had treated Vinnie but could not bring herself to apologize. Shaking her head, she quickened her speed. He was not following her. Mango did not know whether or not that was a good thing. Sighing, she looked around the Pet Shop.

Spying Pepper, she walked over to ask what was going on. Props were piled up at her feet and the skunk was gingerly rubbing her tail. Mango had a feeling that there was something else the silly skunk should have been doing with her time. "Pepper, is the stage done?"

"Aw come on! Why is everybody looking over my shoulder today! Tell Russell that I'll get it done before the party so STOP ASKING ME!" Pepper yelled out while emitting a foul smelling odor from her tail.

Mango tried not the gag. She _really_ tried not to gag. But she couldn't help herself and was soon coughing from the fumes. "Pepper, I had no idea that Russell talked to you." She chocked out between coughs. Mango was soon waving her paw in front of her face in a futile attempt to dispel the fumes. It was not working. Gasping for breath, Mango began to crawl away in an attempt to save herself. She was almost gone before Pepper called out to her.

"Hey Mango! Russell was looking for you!"

…..

Penny Ling was walking around the day camp area when she saw Vinnie. He looked sad. She could tell because he was facing the ground, his eyes were watering, and his tail dragged. Penny Ling was worried. It was not like Vinnie to be so forlorn. Something _really_ bad must have happened to him. She wondered what it could be. Her curiosity was aching badly. She wanted to know what happened but she knew better. Vinnie would not appreciate her bothering him when he was troubled. It was probably better to let him be alone. Penny Ling turned to walk away when she heard a soft sound.

Penny Ling watched in horror as Vinnie hid behind the couch and softly cried. She had never seen Vinnie cry before. It was an awful experience. He was usually so happy and carefree. Seeing him like this wrenched her heart in two. His face was dripping with tears and sadness, his arms were wrapped around himself as if he was trying to give himself a hug, and he stared at the floor as he did so. Penny Ling felt like crying herself. She was so sad. It hurt inside to see her friend like this. Quickly she ran over to Vinnie and gave him a huge, panda hug. She might have hugged him a little too tight because soon he was gasping for air.

"Oh, sorry Vinnie." Penny Ling said while releasing him.

"It's okay Penny Ling." Vinnie replied while taking in deep breathes of air.

"So, um… why are you so sad?" Penny Ling asked with concern in her purple eyes.

"It's nothing Penny Ling." Vinnie mumbled while trying to get away.

"It doesn't seem like nothing." Penny Ling said while eyeing Vinnie up and down. He was trying to walk away but she blocked his path. Staring down at him she tried her best to be patient. Vinnie was upset and she didn't want to make it worse. But she also didn't want to let him leave until she knew what was the matter. Raising an eyebrow, she stared at Vinnie.

"Nothing is wrong Penny Ling." Vinnie tried to sneak past her on the left.

"Vinnie?" Penny Ling moved and blocked the way.

"Nothing is wrong." Vinnie ran to the right.

"Vinnie!" Penny shouted impatiently.

"Nothing is wrong!" Vinnie tried to dodge to the left.

Dodge to the left. Block the left. Dodge to the right. Block the right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Over and over and over. Finally, Penny Ling snapped.

"VINNIE!" She roared. The Pet Shop got silent. She opened her eyes and saw all of her friends staring at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. Blushing she gave them a small smile and dragged Vinnie behind the chair with her. Plopping Vinnie onto the ground in front of her, she stared him down. Vinnie huddled in an attempt to make himself smaller but Penny Ling kept staring. He felt like she was searching his very soul. Reading his emotions like a book and finding every last secret he had. He had to tell her something before she found out the truth.

Forgetting that he was not a book and that Penny Ling could not possibly find out by looking at him, Vinnie blurted out the first thing that came to his head. "I MISS SUNIL!"

Penny Ling was taken by surprise. Then a wave of relief came over her. No wonder Vinnie was so upset. His best friend had been gone for days and he missed him. Giving Vinnie a gentle smile, she placed her paw on her friend's shoulder. Her warm gave seemed to soothe him and she could see him relax slightly. "Vinnie, Sunil will be back tomorrow. You only have one day." Thinking she had helped she walked away.

One day. He only had one day. _Penny Ling is right. I only have one day left before Sunil is here. I have to get Mango to dance with me before then. Once she shares a dance with me she will_ have _to know how I feel. Then she can realize that she feels that way too._ Vinnie hoped she would. She _had_ to.

…..

Mango tried to find Russell, she _really_ did try to find Russell. But for some strange reason he was impossible to find. She searched the toy boxes, the fire hydrant, the pillows, but he was no where to be found. It was beginning to irritate Mango. She leaves for the closet for a few minutes and suddenly everyone is looking for her.

 _Well, Vinnie wasn't actually looking for me._ Mango thought with some embarrassment. Her face was beginning to heat up. She shook her head to cool it down and continued her search.

She saw Zoe and went over to ask her where Russell was. She had only walked a few feet away from the purple dog when she was suddenly swept away to a secluded part of the day camp area. Mango looked at her surroundings and saw a full length mirror, chest full of clothes, and hair supplies. It seemed like she was in Zoe's fashion area. But she had no idea why Zoe would choose to take her there. She could not think of any special occasion that would require her to get dressed up. Slowly, Mango tried to walk away from the diva dog. As quick as the cobras Sunil hated, Zoe was in front of Mango and leading her toward a soft pillow. She motioned for her to sit and Mango obeyed. Partly out of curiosity and partly because she was afraid not to.

"So, Mango. Anything interesting happen to you?" Zoe asked while fluttering her lashes. She leaned closer to Mango.

"Nothing happened. I was just going to ask you where Russell went. He was looking for me." Mango replied while scooting away from Zoe. She was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable. Zoe was a friend of course, but she wasn't one Mango wanted too close to her.

"Are you sure you didn't get any interesting news from any pets around here?" Zoe asked with a little more urgency in her voice. Her eyes widened slightly as Mango shook her head and tried to get away. "Oh come on Mango, surely something has happened?"

Shaking her head, Mango tried to read her expression. Zoe was worried about something. She thought that Mango was hiding something from her. Mango thought hard and tried to think of anything that she might not be telling her. "I…uh…um-"

Zoe leaned closer. Mango could swear that her eyes were glittering. Zoe's smile was getting bigger and bigger. Her face was so close to Mango's that she could see every eyelash on Zoe's eyes. Slowly, Mango shook her head… no.

Zoe's smile stayed on her face for a few more seconds before it broke and she began to growl… loudly. Her face was the picture of pure irritation. Not mad enough to be furious, but _just_ mad enough to be irritated enough to scream. "That is it! That is it! If nothing interesting has happened to you yet then I will MAKE something happen to you! I swear it will be the most interesting, unexpected, MAGICAL thing to ever happen to you!" Zoe's voice got louder and louder until Mango's ears were ringing. She wanted to run far away. Away from the mad purple dog who was making no sense as she muttered and rifled through her clothes chest. Finally she pulled out a dress and advanced on Mango.

"Zoe, I just want to know where Russell is." Mango said while quivering in fear. She was backed up against the mirror with no where to go.

"You are going to have much more than Russell to worry about when I am done with you." Zoe paused for a moment. "If I do a good enough job, maybe you will have to worry about Russell even _more._ "

Russell was inside of Blythe's room sitting on top of her giant bed. It was soft and bouncy. Like he was sitting on top of a fluffy cloud. He couldn't help himself and began to wiggle up and down. Soon he was bouncing on the bed while laughing hysterically. It was nice to let loose and have fun once in a while. The bed was big enough for him to bounce without having to worry about messing up the covers. Giggling, Russell was glad for this rare moment of fun. He was even more glad that no one was here to see what a racket he was making with his bouncing and laughter.

"Russell?"

He stopped laughing immediately and looked toward where the voice was coming from. It was coming from his human friend Blythe. She was standing in her doorway with an armful of fabric. She had a confused look on her face as she saw the little hedgehog bouncing on her freshly made bed. Russell tried to stop bouncing but he was still being gently lifted into the air by the softness of the mattress. Blushing a fierce red, he cleared his throat once he finally stopped moving up and down.

"Uh… Blythe. I was wondering if you could help me with something." Russell began timidly. He wasn't used to asking others for advice and wasn't sure how to word his request.

"Sure Russell. What's on your mind?" Blythe responded. She put her fabric down on her desk and sat down next to Russell. Her shirt was purple and her skirt was red. Blythe wore her hair in a pony tail with a red scrunchie. She began to play with her pony tail as she looked at Russell. Wondering what was on his mind, she waited for him to talk to her.

"I was wondering if you could help me handle a situation. I seem to be having trouble with two of my friends. I know that they have something they are not telling each other and I know that if they _did_ tell each other they would both be very happy. But I don't want to meddle in their lives." He let his voice trail off and looked at her with pleading eyes. He raised both of his paws in the air and shrugged his shoulders. This was his way of letting her know that he had no idea what to do and hoped she would have a solution.

"Well, I am guessing that I can't know what the secret is huh?" Blythe asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry Blythe, but no." He said with a small smile.

"Well, you just have to do what you think is best. But… if you aren't comfortable with telling them what the other said, maybe you could just give them a little nudge. That way they could tell each other." Blythe told him with a wink. She knew that Russell was a smart hedgehog. He would be able to find a way to get them to confess to each other without giving away the fact that he wanted them to do it.

"Thanks Blythe. You know, asking for advice isn't that bad." Russell said as he crawled into the dumbwaiter. _It sure is a lot easier than giving it._ Russell gave her a small wave before closing the door and heading back to the day camp area.

Vinnie walked around the day camp area kicking a bouncy red ball. He was so bored. He had tried to find Mango to apologize to her for asking her to dance. He should have known better than to spy on her and scare her like that. Mango could hold a grudge. Vinnie shivered. She was not the type of pet to explode in anger. She was not like fire, she was like ice. Ice that was cold and unforgiving. In her mind she kept score and tallied up the points she had against you. If you angered her she would do something subtle to you to even the score. One time he had eaten her treat on purpose. He knew that it was a mean thing to do but he had done it anyway. Immediately he had regretted it and told Mango what he had done. She had seemed so understanding but a couple days later he had walked in and found that Ms. Twombly was out of his treats. Mango had not said anything but he saw her eyes glitter when she ate hers. He still wasn't sure how she had done it.

Vinnie shivered again and kept kicking the ball. He wondered where Mango could be. She had been in the day camp area when he walked out of the closet. Vinnie had been about to walk over to her when Zoe had scooped her up and taken her somewhere else. He groaned. Zoe was probably gossiping with her. If that was the case Mango would be stuck there for hours. He sat down on the ground and began to bounce the ball up and down. His insides felt like Buttercream the bunny was jumping up and down inside of him. He chuckled a bit thinking about Buttercream.

They had met Buttercream a few days ago. She was a hyper active Bunny that talked weird and loved sweets. Vinnie drooled a bit thinking about all the sugary delights they had eaten at the Sweet Shop. Then he grimaced while thinking about the horrible scene that had happened inside of the Sweet Shop. They had all lost their minds and began to turn on each other. At least, that is what he thought had happened. He couldn't really remember anything. The sugar had affected him worse than the others and he was left with only a vague idea of what had happened. He was glad Mango and her owners were out of town on that day. She had been spared the sugary, glazed, frosted horror.

Vinnie had visited Buttercream earlier and asked her a favor. He wanted her to be the DJ at Sunil's party. She was awesome at making tunes by moving the CD with her foot. Vinnie wasn't really sure what Buttercream had said but he thought she said yes. Her exact words were, "Okay-dokey-bokey Vinnie-bo-binnie. Nothing would make me hap-pa-pap-papier!" Then she had bounded away into the Sweet Shop.

Yawning, Vinnie closed his eyes. He was so tired…

 _He was in a magnificent ball room. Everything was so sparkly and beautiful. He glided around the room. Vinnie could not remember dancing better. He looked down to see his feet move and was surprised to see that he was wearing a black suit. On his suit was a red rose. He smelled it and sighed at its sweet scent. He began to waltz around the room, wishing that he had a partner. Suddenly he looked up and saw her descend a grand stair case. Her fur was orange and she wore a glittering, golden dress. On her head was a yellow rose and her face was covered by a thin, gold veil. She was magnificent._

 _He ran to her and bowed, extending his hand as he did so. He looked up and saw her grab it. They began to dance the waltz. He held her a foot away from his body. She was a lady and he did not want to offend her by holding her too close. She smiled from under the veil and inched closer to his body. Soon she was pressed up against him and he could breathe in her sweet scent. It was familiar. He blushed and tried to inch away again but she just kept coming closer. Smiling, he let her stay and began to dance some more._

 _He was mildly surprised to see her rest her head on his shoulder. He rested his cheek against her head and closed his eyes. He could feel her soft paw in his hand. It was dainty and small. His other had was pressed against her back. It was smooth and firm. She was a strong pet._

 _"I must see your face." He murmured into her ear._

 _She raised her head and stared at him. Slowly he began to lift the veil. He could see her mouth, her nose, he was almost at her eyes. Then the world disappeared._

Vinnie opened his eyes. He rubbed them and blinked to clear away the floating dots. Yawning, he looked around the room and instantly stared at something he thought he would never see in the real world.

 _Am I still dreaming?_

…..

Mango was trying in vain to get away from her purple captor. She was being roughly stuffed into a dress. She wiggled and squirmed but was still wrestled into the shiny piece of fabric. Next was her hair. It was pulled and torn with a scratchy brush. Then curled and sprayed with a glossy hair product. Groaning, Mango tried to escape. Zoe grabbed her and threw her down into a pillow. She could see flashes of frustration in Zoe's eyes. Something in them begged her to trust her and Mango finally surrendered. She sat still while Zoe finished her work.

Gaping at herself in the mirror, Mango slowly turned around to view herself at every angle. She was in a stunning gold dress. It was covered in golden sequins that sparkled in the light. Her hair was curled and had a yellow rose stuck by her ear. The rose's petals matched the color of her eyes perfectly. She smiled as she noticed that Zoe had fluffed her lashes. They fluttered when she blinked, so she blinked over and over again. Her eyelids were a bright neon green, the same color that was on her favorite bow. Her bow and collar was stashed in Zoe's chest of clothes.

Mango smiled weakly and turned to Zoe. "Thanks, it looks great. But… why?" She finished her sentence and stared at Zoe with a hard look. There had to be a catch somewhere.

"I just wanted one of my friends to feel pretty. Now go and show everyone. Why don't you start with Vinnie?" Zoe said as she pushed Mango away. Her blue eyes glittered as she talked. A small smile formed on Zoe's face as Mango walked toward a sleeping gecko. When all of this was over Mango would be thanking her for _much_ more than a makeover.

…..

It was the pet from his dream. She was even more beautiful in person. The dress flowed when she walked and seemed to whisper to him. It told him to get up and dance with her. She was only a few feet away when she noticed that he was no longer asleep. He could tell because she paused for a moment and seemed to ponder whether or not she should keep walking forward. Finally, Vinnie decided to decide for her. He walked to her in a casual way, swinging his arms from side to side and glancing around the room as if she was not the only thing on his mind. It hurt to look away.

"Mango, you look… you look…" Vinnie trailed off. He wanted to say something smart. Something that would make her smile and her eyes sparkle. "You look… hot."

Mango gave him a weird look and dropped her gaze to the ground before lifting it back up. She raised an eyebrow at him as if asking what was going on. "Thanks?" She stressed the word, making it sound more like a question than a response. She looked around the room and seemed concerned to find out that the other pets were too far away to hear them. Worry flashed through her eyes as she looked back at Vinnie. She was worried that he would say more awkward compliments in an attempt to make her feel good about herself. He was trying to be a good friend, she knew that; but he was not a master of words. Mango smiled and tried to push down the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Why had she let Zoe put her into this dress? She felt self conscious and different.

Vinnie chuckled awkwardly. "Um… sorry about that. You do look nice though." He tried to save himself by steering the conversation another way. "So, why are you all dressed up anyway?" It wasn't like Mango to get dressed up for no reason.

"I don't know. Zoe put me in this thing and pushed me away. She said something about showing everybody. I just want to get out of this as quickly as possible. Can you tell Zoe I showed you so she doesn't stuff me in another one?" Mango said as she tried to yank the dress off.

"Wait!" Vinnie yelled out.

Mango stopped and stared at him in confusion. With a raised eyebrow she motioned at him with her paw. Asking him to both continue and to explain himself. Her eyes were curious and her mouth was straight. She was used to his strangeness. Vinnie could be unpredictable sometimes and she was sure that he was just going to say something else awkward. But Mango didn't mind. It kept their friendship interesting and made Vinnie interesting as well. She liked him for who he was, flaws and all.

"I was wondering if you would care you dance." Vinnie said slowly. He seemed to drift closer to her as he talked. Gently, he snaked his arm over hers and held her hand. Last time he had given her no option and had tried to change her mind when she had said no. This time he was determined not to come on to strong and to let her be fully comfortable with the answer she gave. Flashing another one of his winning smiles, Vinnie slowly lifted her up onto two legs.

"Vinnie, I told you. I don't dance." Mango said while trying to push away. Last time she had answered like that he had continued to plead with her. It made her feel guilty and bad and like she was a horrible friend. Mango decided that she had to leave before he could twist her heart any more than he already had.

"Ok." Vinnie said while letting go of her hand. "Maybe some other time."

"Yeah, maybe some other… what?" Mango stopped turning away and gazed at the green gecko in front of her. He was calm and collected. Their was no pain, no disappointment, he honestly did not care whether or not she danced with him. Strangely, this made her more comfortable with the thought of dancing with him. All of the pressure of pleasing her friend vanished. She no longer had to worry about doing what _Vinnie_ wanted or hurting _Vinnie's_ feelings if she refused. Instead, Mango could think about herself and the fact that she wouldn't mind a dance. A simple dance among friends.

"You know… a dance sounds like fun." Mango said while flashing Vinnie a smile.

"Really? You want to dance?" Vinnie responded with a leap into the air. His face was plastered with one of his goofy grins, giving away that he had not been as okay as she had thought. Quickly he regained composure and ushered her off to a secluded say camp corner where they could dance without being spied upon. It was not for him. He was used to having everyone see him dance, but he knew Mango would feel more comfortable if she was hidden.

"Okay, why don't we do something easy? Like…" Vinnie racked his brain for the easiest dance that would hold them the closest together. "Waltzing?"

Mango quivered slightly but luckily Vinnie did not seem to notice. Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second before it regained its spot on her face. She had assumed that this would be an informal dance session. Vinnie showing her a few fun moves and that was all. She would be safely out of reach while trying to copy whatever move Vinnie showed her. The waltz was a ballroom dance, Mango knew that. She also knew that in order to dance the waltz, partners needed to be in each others arms. Chuckling nervously, she slowly walked over to Vinnie.

He gently grabbed her paw and lifted her upward so that she would be standing upright. She was not used to dancing on two legs and was a bit unsteady in the beginning. Quickly, Vinnie grabbed her by the shoulders before she could collapse backward. His eyes glowed with understanding as he saw how hard this was for her and he did not comment on her lack of balance. Gently, he placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. Careful not to blush, he slowly did the steps of the waltz. For a moment they just stayed in that one spot. Vinnie was carefully going through the motions while Mango stared at her feet. Mango's eyes were sharp and focused on the two paws that held her up. She wanted to be sure she was doing the moves correctly. It also gave Mango an excuse not to look at Vinnie's face.

The feel of his hands on her made her uncomfortable. She was not big on physical contact with the other pets. Mango was more likely to share a laugh than a hug. The others knew this and respected her need for personal space, despite their habit of hugging each other frequently. There was only one pet that she truly felt comfortable being near… and she was not dancing with him. Cautiously keeping her eyes on the floor, Mango glided around in their small, secluded spot. Hoping during every second that their dance session would be over as quickly as it had come. Vinnie's hands were firm on her waist and shoulder. Supporting her, but also feeling her. As if he wanted to reassure himself that she was actually there and would not run away. Bristling, Mango tried to calm down.

 _He feels so possessive. If I wanted to leave I could. I don't need him trying to stop me._ A wave of stubbornness washed over Mango and she wanted more than anything to run away. Just so she could prove that she was not tamed. Her eyes flashed and she felt Vinnie's grip loosen. The anger cooled down quickly as soon as Mango felt Vinnie's hand on her chin. He had removed it from her waist and was using it to gently lift her face upward. She was no longer seeing small brown paws, instead she was seeing purple eyes.

…..

Vinnie stared at the orange wolf in front of him. She was beautiful in the dress of gold. He remembered how she had tried to take it off a few minutes ago and his hysteria when he had tried to stop her. Now he was gently lifting her up onto her two back legs. He had asked her to dance and with a little hesitation she had accepted. Vinnie was so relieved when she had finally said yes. His heart had been pounding like a thousand drums and his stomach had shriveled down to the size of a fly. Nervously smiling, Vinnie helped her stand so they could dance together. Dancing solved everything. If anything would show Mango what she felt for him and what he felt for her; it would be dancing.

Instinctively Vinnie reached out to grab Mango when she almost fell backward. He did not plan to grab her. It had just happened. Vinnie tried not to ask her if she was okay. If he made a huge deal out of it he would offend Mango; and possibly give away his feelings. So he just let as much of his love as he dared show in his eyes. Enough to let Mango know he understood but not enough to let her know why he wanted to dance.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Vinnie placed his hands on her shoulder and her waist. He felt weird touching her when he very rarely even held her hand. He knew Mango had this thing about personal space and he tried to respect that as much as possible. Except at that moment. Her back was slender but firm under his hands. Her shoulder was well rounded and had a nice flexibility to it. Vinnie couldn't help but apply a little pressure on her waist and shoulder to feel the firm muscles. They were just the right kind for dancing. Strong enough to keep going for hours but still flexible enough to flow with the music. He noticed a flash of anger in her eyes and quickly stopped. She was letting him hold her for the dance but she drew the line at feeling her. Vinnie's mind raced.

 _I have to do something to cool her down or she might end the dance right now._ Vinnie tried to think of something he could do to simmer down Mango's heated feelings. He decided to just try and get her more interested in the dance. You got interested in the dance by watching the soul of the dance, not the steps. Carefully, trying not to offend her any more than he already had, Vinnie lifted Mango's head so she could see his eyes. If she looked into his eyes she would be able to see the reason why he danced. He danced because he loved it. Loved it more than almost everything in the whole world.

…..

Mango did not gaze down at her paws anymore. Instead she focused on Vinnie's eyes. They were a light lavender shade, she had never noticed that before. They seemed to shine in the light and spoke to her. They spoke words of confidence, emotion, and love of dance. He truly loved to dance. Mango saw that now and wondered why she had never noticed that his dancing was more than a fun hobby. It was who he was… and he wanted to share that with her.

Feeling guilty for giving him such a hard time, Mango decided to try and feel what he felt. She let the motions move her and tried to imagine the sound of music swaying in time to her movements. It was a soft sound at first but soon grew into a full orchestra filling the air with it. It was a peaceful motion and it made her feel safe. The music was relaxing and beautiful. It reached into her soul and gave her fantasies of flowers, wind, and springtime. She swayed with the melody. Soon she was doing the steps without thinking about it. She did not need to think about it, she could simply _feel_ it. Mango smiled as she felt the warmth of Vinnie's hands on her.

His hands were comforting and strong. They kept her up but never squeezed her too roughly. She used to think that his touch would be scaly and cold, but it was gentle and warm. He danced wonderfully. Mango noticed a natural flow to his steps. It was if he was always this graceful. But Mango knew that when he was not dancing he was bumping into everything in sight. He flowed with the music she heard in her head. Never missing a step, never missing a beat, and perfectly in rhythm with her the entire time. He was a great dancer when he put his soul into what he was dancing. Mango wondered why she had never noticed his level of skill. She had never realized how talented he actually was. Mango frowned for a moment as she realized that none of the other pets noticed either. Mango felt the smile come back to her face as she looked back into his eyes. The music took hold of her again and she danced.

The dance was over all too soon. It ended with a slow dip to the ground. Mango never feared for a moment that Vinnie would drop her. Her hair brushed the ground slightly before she was lifted back into Vinnie's waiting arms. She smiled and looked at him triumphantly. It was her first formal dance and she was thrilled with the results. Holding back a howl of joy she hugged Vinnie. Surprised by her enthusiastic response, Vinnie just stood their with his mouth agape. Mango's stomach was fluttery and warm at the same time. Like fiery winged butterflies swirling around inside of her. Giggling with joy, she let go of her green friend.

"Thanks for the dance Vinnie." She said with shining eyes.

 _….._

 _She is so good. Why didn't she tell me she had such talent? I could have taught her sooner._ Vinnie watched as Mango glided along the floor. Her steps were extremely graceful for someone who had never danced the waltz before. It was as if she was hearing music and using it to keep her rhythm. Maybe she was. Vinnie smiled with joy. Whenever he danced it was as if he was hearing music all around him. It warmed his heart to think that Mango might be experiencing what he did every time he danced.

She was beginning to understand why he danced. Mango was learning what dancing did for him and how it made him feel. He gazed into her yellow eyes. They were lost somewhere far away. Somewhere that could only be reached when you gave yourself to the music. He took this opportunity to gaze at the rest of her without her noticing. Her hair was shiny and soft, it seemed like she cleaned it often. He loved the way it sat atop her head in a big swirl. Her eyes were a bright color that reminded him of the sun. Her long lashes fluttered in the breeze as she swirled around with him. He gazed down at her slender figure. So strong and graceful at the same time. Long, slender legs kept her up while shapely paws held onto him. Blushing, he quickly lifted his gaze before Mango could notice that he was admiring her.

Dipping her slowly, Vinnie noticed her hair brush the ground slightly. She did not even flinch. It was as if she knew that Vinnie would not drop her. It made his heart warm to think that she trusted him that much. He slowly lifted her back into his arms. Savoring every moment he had left with Mango. He was taken aback when she leaped into his waiting arms and surrounded him with her enthusiastic hug, but he gladly accepted it. When the hug was finished she thanked him for the dance.

"Mango, what did you think of the dance?" Vinnie asked with his eyes shining. As soon as she answered he was going to tell her everything he felt.

She replied with the statement. "It was fun."


	11. Chapter 11: Splat! Splat! Splat!

Chapter 11: Splat! Splat! Splat!

Pink, yellow, red, blue! Splat! Splat! Splat! Minka was hurling paint cans at a large canvas in front of her. The canvas was three times her size and more than four times her width. The paint cans hit the canvas with a loud bang, almost like real fireworks. They fell and made little puddles of color on the floor where they fell. She made a mental note to clean it up later. Squinting at the splotches of color in front of her, Minka noticed that the red and blue looked good. She also noticed that the yellow was looking more like a flower.

"I guess that means… MORE PRACTICE!" Minka yelled out as she hurled another yellow can at the canvas. This time the paint spread out further and resembled a bright explosion in the sky. "Much better! Eee! Eee! Eee!"

Excitement rushed over her and she began to run around. Weaving in and out of the paint cans she had lined up, jumping onto the tire swing, and landing right in the color green. She looked down at herself and began to burst with laughter. She reminded herself of Vinnie. Giggling, she decided to go and show him.

"Wait a minute, Russell won't like it if I trail yucky, yucky paint all over his shiny, shiny floors." Minka thought hard. Then she jumped up into the air and began to swing on the lights so she would not leave behind monkey tracks. She did leave green monkey hand prints on the lights but she figured that would be okay. No one looked at lights anyway. Minka did not notice the hedgehog walking underneath her… or the green drop of paint dangling from the light over him.

Passing Zoe and Penny Ling, Minka decided to talk to Pepper and see if she knew where to find Vinnie. Pepper was setting up the stage for Sunil's magic show. It was coming along nicely. Pepper had managed to find some spotlights, a large purple curtain, and painted a colorful sign showing Sunil in his magic hat. Over in a corner of the stage was a box filled to the brim with Sunil's magic props. She had even taken the time to organize them by type of magic trick. Cards, wands, his hat, and extra items he might need. Minka loved the stage. It was so pretty and shiny! She loved, _loved,_ LOVED it!

Screeching, Minka ran up to Pepper and began to run around the stage. She kept screaming over and over again "Pretty! Pretty! Pretty! Pretty! Pretty!" Minka had completely forgotten about the green paint and was leaving a trail of green footprints behind her. Soon the entire stage was covered in Minka's tracks. Pepper watched in disbelief as the pink monkey ran all over her beautiful stage. Her red violet eyes got wider and wider until she couldn't take it anymore.

"MINKA!" Pepper yelled out while emitting a green cloud from her tail.

Skidding to a halt, Minka stopped at the end of two long lines of green paint. She looked at Pepper with big, light blue eyes. "Yes Pepper?" Minka asked with a smile.

"Why did you… Do you know that… I can't believe…" Pepper tried to keep her anger in control. She started sentences, then stopped them when she realized that they would not end well. "Why are you here?" She asked with a forced grin and twitching eye.

"I wanted to ask you if you had seen Vinnie. Oh! Have you noticed that I am covered in green paint?" Minka gestured to her entire body with one hand, while scribbling on the floor with the other. She was oblivious to Pepper's vibrating body and clenched paws.

"No. I haven't seen Vinnie and _yes,_ I have noticed that you are covered in green paint. Why don't you ask Penny Ling?" Pepper said while pushing the green monkey off of the stage.

"Okay! See ya later Pepper!" Minka yelled as she sprinted forward while Pepper was still pushing her.

Losing her balance, Pepper fell face forward onto the floor. Groaning she looked up to see Minka running toward an unsuspecting oanda. Looking behind her, Pepper saw a stage covered in green goop. She rolled her eyes and collapsed back onto the floor. It was going to take hours of back breaking, soul crushing labor to free the stage of the green paint. Pepper slowly got up to begin her tedious task. In the back of her mind she hoped that Penny Ling would not be any worse off when Minka was done asking her about Vinnie.

Penny Ling was so happy. She had finally found a shiny ball with pretty lights to hang up. It was big and round with many colorful lights attached to it. When she put it in the light and spun it, there was an array of colors spread throughout the ground. Red, yellow, and blue lights that seemed to swirl and dance as she did. She giggled as she carried it to the fire hydrant slide. That was the _perfect_ place to hide it. People only went into the fire hydrant slide when they were upset. She was sure that once Sunil returned no one would be upset anymore.

Penny Ling frowned. Poor Vinnie. He really missed Sunil. She quickly brightened up when she thought of how happy he would be to see Sunil tomorrow. She hummed a happy little tune as she rolled the big ball to the slide. It took all of her concentration to keep the ball under control. It kept swerving from side to side and she sometimes had to stretch her arms to keep it from rolling away.

"Stay still pretty ball…" Penny Ling mumbled under her breath. Suddenly a bright green monkey dropped down in front of her. "Ahhhhhhh!" Penny Ling yelled out in surprise.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" The monkey screamed in reply. "Hi Penny Ling! Have you seen Vinnie?"

Penny Ling sighed in relief. It turned out that the monkey was only her friend Minka. She was covered head to toe in green paint and was beginning to drip on the pretty ball. Penny Ling had seen Vinnie a little while ago. He was leading Mango somewhere but she did not know where they went. Penny Ling studied Minka's face. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing heavily. It was as if she had finished running a mile.

"Um… no I haven't seen Vinnie." Penny Ling did not think that Vinnie would appreciate it if she lead Minka to him while she was in this state.

"Too bad. Well…. BYE!" Minka leaped on top of the ball and pushed herself forward. This sent Minka hurling in one direction and the ball rolling in the other. Penny Ling gasped and began to chase after the ball. It rolled further and further away. She reached for it, almost had it, and fell flat onto the floor. A pouting panda turned her head to see Minka getting further away in the other direction. It looked like she was going to have to find the ball on her own.

Minka ran away from Penny Ling. She was pretty sure that Penny Ling would want to be alone right now. After all, she had a lot of work to do. Especially since she had to chase that fast ball. Minka shook her head while she ran. Penny Ling had to be more careful. If she kept that up the ball would never get where it needed to go. She should really make sure she has a good grip on it before she lets any other monkeys jump off of it.

Squinting her eyes, she saw Zoe sitting next to a pile of fabric. They were all different shades of blue. Minka's eyes widened. She loved the way the light danced on the fabric. There were so many different colors. Light blue, baby blue, periwinkle, teal, navy blue, so much… BLUE! Minka loved, _loved_ , LOVED it! Screaming with joy, she hurled herself at the pretty colors.

She landed right in the middle of the many colors. They felt so shiny and soft. Giggling, she threw them all into the air and watched as they glided down to the ground. They mixed with each other and soon became entangled. Laughing some more, she lied down and made some monkey angels in the fabrics. Then she threw them all into the air once more. Soon they were scattered around her in messy piles. Minka looked at her handy work and nodded her head. That would do. Everything was nice and messy now.

Getting up and brushing herself off, Minka suddenly remembered why she had come over there in the first place. "Hey Zoe, have you seen Vinnie?"

Zoe stared at the piles of fabric she had meticulously organized by shade. Twitching and mouth agape, she slowly shook her head no.

"Okay, bye!" Minka said as she casually walked away from the speechless dog.

This was getting interesting. She had asked almost everyone in the day camp where Vinnie was and no one knew. There was only one more person to ask. Dropping down from the ceiling, Minka landed in front of Russell. She was careful not to drip paint onto his clipboard. Russell had come down from the dumbwaiter that led to Blythe's room. Minka guessed that he had been talking to Blythe. He did that a lot.

"Hiya Russell!" Minka said while waving her hand. Drops of paint flew off of her hand and splattered all over the ground. Minka did not mind but it was apparent that Russell did. He gasped and pulled out a little handkerchief. Then he got down and began to scrub the paint spots on the ground. When he was satisfied, he slowly got up and put his handkerchief away. She could see him take a few deep breaths. Minka cocked her head to the side.

 _Wonder why he does that? It looks funny!_ Minka thought with a big smile. She liked when Russell took deep breaths. He usually did that when she made messes. Minka made a mental note to make a big mess later on that day.

"Hey Russell! Have you seen Vinnie anywhere?" Minka asked.

"No, I can't say that I have. Why do you want to know where Vinnie is Minka?" Russell asked while scribbling notes in his clipboard. He glanced up to see Minka's face for a moment before turning back to his notes. Just when Minka was about to answer he heard a noise behind him. Russell turned to see Vinnie and Mango appear from a secluded place of the Day Camp area. His eyes widened in disbelief. With his mouth slightly open, Russell watched as Minka scampered off to see Vinnie.

Russell furiously scribbled some more notes into his little clipboard. This could drastically change his plans.

"Vinnie! Vinnie! Vinnie! Look! Green!" Minka yelled as she leaped in front of Vinnie. This placed her in between him and Mango. She noticed Vinnie try to look past her and see Mango. Minka turned her head too and saw Mango walk away toward the feeding station. Minka smiled and turned back to Vinnie. She was excited to finally show him that she was covered in green paint. She began to jump up and down quickly. Minka reminded herself of a bouncy ball she used to have. It had bounced and bounced and bounced for hours without stopping.

"Vinnie! Vinnie! I'm green! Eee! Green! Like you!" Minka yelled out into Vinnie's face.

"Oh, cool Minka. That's really… cool and… awesome." Vinnie said as he looked Minka over. She really was covered in green paint. It dripped from her body and made a puddle on the floor underneath her. He knew Rusty would not like that. That was enough to bring a small smile to his face. Russell could be really funny when he was irritated. That was what made irritating him so much fun. It was one of his and Sunil's favorite pastimes. They never included Mango in their little pranks. She was too loyal to Russell and did not like to purposely upset him. Vinnie shook his head. Him and Sunil loved it.

"Anyway Minka, I have to go do something… else. Why don't you practice your fireworks?" Vinnie called out over his shoulder as he walked away.

Minka shrugged and began running back to her canvas. She had some fireworks to paint!


	12. Chapter 12: The Pendant

Chapter 12: The Pendant

The next day was one of excitement and joy. It was finally time for Sunil to return from his trip. Everyone bustled about the Pet Shop cleaning and organizing. They wanted to make sure that everything looked perfect when Sunil stepped into the Day Camp area. Even Blythe was helping the pets clean. She put some squeaky toys away while humming along to the music blasting into her ears by her iPod. The tune was a catchy one and soon all the pets began to hum along with her.

Mango wiggled her hips as she scrubbed the floors. She was loving the tune and more importantly, was loving the fact that Sunil would soon be there. She smiled and jumped around some more as she cleaned. Normally she would have been embarrassed to dance around with all the other pets in the same room, but her little dance with Vinnie the other day had caused her to become more comfortable with dancing. After all, Vinnie danced in front of the others all the time and he seemed to be fine. A slight blush rose in Mango's cheeks as she recalled her little dance the day before. She had fallen asleep that night hearing music. In her dreams she had danced with him all over again.

Mango stopped scrubbing. Her mind was troubled and foggy. When she had danced with Vinnie at the Pet Shop she had felt uncomfortable and self conscious. Then it had turned nice and relaxing. But in her dreams she felt something entirely new. She had felt comfortable in his embrace. It seemed natural. Her ears lowered slightly as she recalled how her face had felt warm and how she could not stop staring. How could his cold touch make her feel so warm? Shaking her head to clear it of the troublesome thoughts, Mango returned to her work. She scrubbed the ground furiously, as if she was scrubbing away all of her insecurities. It did not work.

She still felt like something was troubling Vinnie. After she had said their dance was fun, he had been unusually quiet. It was like he was expecting her to say something else. But she could not figure out what. Right when he had opened his mouth to talk, they had been interrupted by Minka. Mango sighed. She had tried to talk to Vinnie later but he had seemed to be avoiding her. Shaking her head, Mango tried to concentrate on cleaning.

Hours passed and soon the Day Camp was ready for Sunil's arrival. They all had lined up by the door to await his arrival. Minka jumped up and down with excitement. Her ponytails bobbed up and down like little springs. It was clear that she could not wait to see Sunil. Mango was not jumping up and down… on the outside. Inside she was doing flips and somersaults. Her feet where springs and her bones were rubber as she bounced all around the room in her mind. Wind streaked her face and she jolted herself with the force of her landing every time she hit the ground. To everyone else she was as still as a statue. Mango's smile widened as she kept her eyes focused on the door.

"I wonder what Sunil got us." Zoe said as she wagged her freshly brushed tail.

Mango didn't care. Mango knew what Sunil had gotten her already. She sighed in her mind and gazed at the ceiling. They were going to sit on their favorite cushions. Sunil on the red one that reminded him of his favorite ball, and Mango on the blue one that reminded her of her favorite friend. They would lie next to each other and talk for hours on end. It was a tradition they had started the first day they became friends. Every week they talked about what was going on in their lives, in their minds, and in their hearts. It was calming. Mango loved to gaze at the ceiling and listen to the sound of Sunil's voice. She loved his accent. The way he worded his sentences. She especially loved the soft way he said everything. As if he was not sure that what he was saying was worthy for anyone to hear. It was. Every single word. She would close her eyes and get lost in the calming flow of his words.

Mango was brought back to reality when she heard a door open. Standing next to the door was Sunil. In his arms he held brightly colored packages tied shut with ribbons. Grinning he ran over to the waiting pets and gave them all hugs. Mango squeezed him hard and shut her eyes. She fought the urge to cry. Sunil then handed each pet and Blythe a bright box. Minka got a pink one. Penny Ling had a white one. Zoe was given purple. Pepper was handed a gray box. Russell was given a light brown package. Vinnie received a green one. Blythe got light blue. Lastly, Sunil gently placed an orange box in Mango's hands. It was tied with a bright yellow ribbon. Mango smiled at Sunil with glistening eyes. She could hear the others opening their packages, but she just smiled.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Sunil asked after a few moments.

"What? Oh, sorry Sunil." Mango looked away quickly in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. "I'm just happy you are back."

Sunil grinned as he watched Mango carefully open the box. Inside was a circle pendant. The circle was engraved with the shape of two paw prints intertwined with each other. They were like two rings attached. Mango stared at the way the light shone off of the gold metal. It fit nicely with her bright orange fur and bright yellow eyes. She caressed it for a moment before taking it out of the box. Attached to it was a thin gold chain. Mango gently tested it, not wanting to break it. Her ears perked when she discovered that it was strong. On the back was a message. It had been engraved on it with fine letters.

You will never walk alone

"Sunil, it's beautiful. I don't know what to say but…" Mango flung her paws around Sunil's neck and hugged him tightly. "thank you." She whispered in his ear.

Sunil's face began to turn a vibrant shade of red. He was embarrassed to be thanked in such an enthusiastic way in front of the other pets. At the same time he was overjoyed that Mango loved his gift so much. Grinning widely, he returned her hug. Sunil carefully took the pendant from Mango's paws and fastened it around her neck. It shone in the light. He gasped at the sheer beauty of it. The moment he saw it in the store window he knew it was meant for her. The sight before him only proved that he had been right.

The others seemed to enjoy their gifts as well and all approached him to give thanks. None seemed nearly as grateful as Mango. Sunil smiled as he accepted their thanks and gave them all hugs in return. He was careful to avoid Russell's sharp spines. As he hugged the others Sunil noticed that he could not get rid of the feeling of Mango's paws around his neck. He glanced at her a few times. Each time she was caressing the pendant.


	13. Chapter 13: Play With Us

Chapter 13: Play With Us

Mango walked alone inside the Day Camp area of Littlest Pet Shop. She was lost in thought and did not notice her surroundings. She was surprised to see that she had managed to find her way to the bean bag that hid her notebook. Gently, she reached under the bag and pulled out her tiny book. The cover was smooth and shiny. She stood there for a few minutes rubbing the cover before she opened the book. Carefully she removed the blue ribbon that served as her book mark and began to write. The words flowed onto the page with ease. She did not need to think about what she was going to write next. The words just came to her. After only a few minutes Mango was pulled away from her work by a strange sound.

Mango lifted her head in the direction the sound was coming from. It was coming from her two closest friends, Vinnie and Sunil. They were laughing as they tossed a red ball back and forth. Mango jumped up with glee. She longed to play with them and add her laughter to their's. Without hesitation she walked over to her friends. When she approached them they stopped throwing the ball and turned to look at her. The laughter ended but the smiles did not fade. Mango wagged her tail as she reached her playful pals.

"Mind if I join in?" Mango asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Of course not!" They replied simultaneously.

Vinnie tossed her the ball. Mango jumped up and caught it with ease. She began to throw it toward them. She aimed for Sunil first because it was his first day back. When Sunil grabbed the ball she noticed a flash of jealousy in Vinnie's eyes. Mango's stomach began to do flips. She told herself that there was nothing to worry about. She would simply throw it to Vinnie when it was her turn. Sunil threw the ball toward Vinnie and he threw it back to Mango. Smiling, Mango tossed the ball to her green friend. Only after she had let go of the ball did she realize that she was now excluding Sunil from the game. She had skipped his turn. Her eyes widened with worry as she saw confusion pass over Sunil's face. When had this game became so hard?

Vinnie passed the ball to Sunil. Laughing, Sunil caught it. Mango breathed a sigh of relief. Now Sunil was back in the game. But soon it would be her turn. Sunil had just had the ball so she should pass it to Vinnie, but if she passed it to Vinnie she would have passed it to him twice in a row. Mango did not want to hurt Sunil's feelings. She also did not want to exclude Vinnie. The red ball rolled into Mango's paws. Her eyes widened as she looked from one friend to another. Vinnie. Sunil. Vinnie. Sunil. Vinnie. Sunil. Vinnie. She hurled the ball at Vinnie without looking. He jumped into the air and caught it with a laugh. Mango laughed too. She did not hear Sunil.

Her throat turned dry. Her stomach was doing more flips than an acrobat. She began to shuffle nervously from paw to paw. This was getting difficult. Playing ball with them had never been hard before. She had always thrown it to anyone without thinking. But now she couldn't stop thinking. Her eyes darted from one friend to the other as the ball kept coming her way. Now Vinnie and Sunil were only throwing it to her. Even if she went in a pattern she saw the other pet disappointed when the ball did not come their way. Her mind was racing.

 _Why is this so hard? I am overthinking this. We are just playing ball. Right?_ Mango began to realize something. Ball was easier when played by two. Sighing in defeat, Mango told them that she needed to go do something else. They insisted that she still play with them.

"Mango, do not go. We are just getting started." Sunil said with big, golden eyes.

"Yeah Mango. Play with us." Vinnie added.

"No, you guys play." Mango said with a false smile as she walked away.

Mango heard laughter begin again as she walked away from the ball game. With lowered ears, Mango began to write in her notebook. Try as she might, she could not block out the sound of laughter. The sound of two pet's laughter.

 _Today was an exhausting day. I don't know what went wrong. Wait… yes I do. Everything. Today Sunil came back from his trip. He presented me with a beautiful pendant. I love to sit and caress it sometimes. I am caressing it as I write this. May it give me strength to record the dreadful events of today. I always felt like Sunil, Vinnie, and I were meant to be the best of friends. We never go anywhere without the others. Usually we click perfectly. Sunil's pessimistic and thoughtful attitude helps bring us down to earth. Vinnie's carefree and ignorant attitude helps keep up slightly elevated. Lastly, my logical and imaginative attitude helps keep up from causing complete mayhem and helps us find the wonder in everything we do. Together we are unstoppable. Most of the time. So how come today it seemed as if two heads were better than three? No matter what I did it seemed like I ended up having to choose between the two of them. We played ball and I could not balance out how to throw it to them. Every throw I did made me feel as if I was betraying the one who didn't get the ball. But then it got worse. We tried to play a game of hide and seek. I was the one in charge of finding the others. Hooray. Except I found Sunil first every time. My brain is still trying to figure out the probability of Sunil being found first five times in a row! Vinnie looked crushed. As if I was finding Sunil first on purpose. Valiantly, I tried to salvage whatever play time we had left by suggesting another game. Tag. Brilliant, right? WRONG! I was it! Somehow I was always it. I ended up collapsing from exhaustion in the middle of the room. The entire time I was running from one end of the Day Camp area to the other because I could not figure out who to chase. I would go after Vinnie, but then Sunil would be all the way on the other side… alone. Vice Versa. After that I told them I was too tired to play anymore. So here I am, logging my failure. I can hear them laughing._

Mango put down her pencil and looked to the far corner of the Day Camp area. Sunil and Vinnie had begun another game with the red ball. They passed it to each other, laughing as they did so. She lowered her head and stared at the pages of her journal. The words seemed to mock her. Angrily, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander. She hoped it would give her release from the things troubling her. She was very wrong.

Sunil tossed the ball to his green, scaly friend. It had been a long time since he and Vinnie had played ball together. It was nice to spend some time with his best friend. One _of my best friends._ Sunil corrected himself. Vinnie was no longer the only pet Sunil had a deep affection for. True Vinnie was his first friend, but that did not mean he was his only one. Sunil remembered the days before Mango had visited Littlest Pet Shop. The days usually were spent with Vinnie only. Hours would pass with him and Vinnie tossing the red ball to one another. He sighed as the memories of those simple days passed through his mind.

Then Mango had come and changed both of their worlds forever. Suddenly it was no longer him and Vinnie. It was him and Vinnie and Mango. Never apart, always the three of them together. Thinking back, Sunil could not remember a time when it had even just been him and Mango. Other than the first day she had arrived at Littlest Pet Shop. He had been alone with her in the fire hydrant and they had spent a few hours laughing together at funny memories. The moment she had been accepted by the others pets he had introduced her to his best friend. Sunil grunted as the ball hit him in the stomach. Hard. Momentarily distracted from his memory, he threw the ball at Vinnie equally as hard.

"Watch what you are doing Vinnie! You could have seriously injured me!" Sunil yelled as the ball made impact with Vinnie's body.

Vinnie rolled backward a little as he grabbed the ball. "Sorry Sunil! I guess I wasn't paying attention. I was thinking ya know?"

"Yes, I know." Sunil responded. He too, had been absorbed by his thoughts. He rubbed his arm nervously with one paw. "What where you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing important." Vinnie said with a shrug. He laughed nervously and hoped Sunil did not notice.

Luckily, Sunil didn't and they continued their game of catch. Sunil eventually said that he was tired of playing and wanted to take a nap. Secretly, he had a lot on his mind that he wanted to set straight. He knew of no one better to talk to it about then Mango. Quickly, he set off to find her. Sunil skidded to a halt when he realized that Mango would not appreciate him talking to her about this particular subject. Sighing in defeat, Sunil decided that he had to go to another pet for this particular problem. As if he had no choice, Sunil trudged to find the Day Camp area's resident hedgehog. His feet dragged with every step and he dreaded finding him just as much as he wanted to.

Russell was eventually found by the cushions. He was neatly stacking them. As Sunil approached he could hear Russell muttering to himself. "Yes, organized beds ensure quality nap time. That's my motto. Hm… maybe I should get a new motto."

"Um… Russell. I really hate to interrupt your organization but I need help with a dilemma." Sunil said quietly.

"Oh… sure Sunil. What can I help you with?" Russell dropped the cushion he was placing and sat down. He motioned for Sunil to sit down as well by patting his paw on the cushion next to him.

Hesitantly, Sunil sat down. He began to twist his tail with his paws. This was a habit he did when he was nervous. Russell had seen Sunil do it multiple times. Clearing his throat, Sunil began to speak. His golden eyes darted all over the room as he talked and not once did he look at Russell. It was as if he was trying to forget that he was confiding in anyone.

"I have been wondering if I have been neglecting my friends. I used to hang out with Vinnie all the time as you know. Now that Mango is here I have been doing my best to hang out with both of them, but sometimes I wonder if Vinnie misses the times when it was just me and him. We never spend any time separately. If I try to give Vinnie more quality time, Mango would be left out. I do not want to hurt Mango either. At the same time I do not feel comfortable thinking I am favoring Mango. Vinnie was there first, but Mango was there more… dramatically. I was her first friend and I have gotten to know her very well. I am at a loss Russell. What should I do?" Sunil finally turned to face Russell. His golden eyes shined with unshed tears.

Russell considered the situation for a moment. This was very delicate. "Do you think you are betraying Vinnie by spending all of your time with Mango too?"

"No… yes… maybe? I don't know!" Sunil said as he began to panic. He flung his paws in the air and began to pace around.

"Well, who do you care about more? Vinnie or Mango?" Russell said slowly. He was entering dangerous territory and wanted to make sure he chose his words wisely. Sunil was known to get worked up easily. The last thing Russell wanted was to give Sunil a panic attack… again. He had never really lived that incident down.

"That is not a fair question! I care about _both_ of them! I could never choose one over the other! They both mean everything to me! BOTH of them!" Sunil yelled out as his face neared Russell's. His eyes got bigger as his tone got more hysterical.

"Exactly Sunil." Russell said matter of factly. He crossed his arms and eyed Sunil up and down. A small smile crept across his face as he waited for Sunil to realize what he was saying.

"Oh…" Sunil said as realization hit him. He smiled and shook Russell's paw. "Thank you Russell."

Sunil began to walk away when a bold thought crept into Russell's mind. He thought for a moment before speaking. "Sunil… it seems to me that there might be someone that you do have… _strong_ feelings for." A smile began to creep across his face.

Sunil halted abruptly. He began to sweat. His eyes got smaller as he turned to face Russell. Swallowing nervously, he opened and closed his mouth over and over again. He tried to speak but no sound came out. Finally a small squeak escaped from his throat. Without another sound, he turned away and sprinted toward the dumbwaiter. Russell only had a bright glimpse of blue fur before the dumbwaiter door was closed.

Russell groaned. He had opened his big mouth. Against all of his better judgement, against all of his logical reasoning and careful planning, he had opened his mouth. Sunil was a coward. He knew that. He did not feel guilty thinking it because Sunil knew it too.

 _I know that Sunil scares easily… and I make him think about his feelings before he is ready. Of course he is going to run away! He doesn't know what to do or what it is he is feeling. If I don't fix this it could drastically change my entire plan._ Russell scribbled a few more notes into his clipboard before setting it down and walking away to get a snack. He scratched the back of his head. _I'm getting as impulsive as Zoe._

Just then, a purple dog walked over to rest on the cushions. She noticed something on top of one of them and got closer to get a better look. Her eyes widened with every word. So did her smile. This was going to be interesting.


	14. Chapter 14: Operation Fabulous

Chapter 14: Operation Fabulous

Zoe walked in front of a small line of pets. She stared each one in the eye, as if she was trying to see who was serious and who wasn't. Light blue eyes looked promising, so did pink ones, but she hesitated when she passed in front of the purple ones. They looked concerned, scared, unsure of herself and the mission at hand. Zoe frowned. These eyes were weak. She could not have a weak pet in her plan. This had to be fixed before the plan went into effect.

"Penny Ling, is something wrong?" Zoe said to the quivering panda.

Penny Ling's doubtful purple eyes shrunk as she met the purple dog's large light blue ones. "Nothing's wrong Zoe. I was just thinking… that maybe we should…"

"We should what?" Zoe demanded as she leaned forward. Her face was mere inches away from Penny Ling. Her intense stare seemed to drill into Penny Ling's very soul.

"Maybe we shouldn't interfere with Mango's relationship with Sunil. I mean, they are already best friends." Penny Ling whispered as she looked to the floor. She jumped as Zoe's voice reached a shrill tone.

"Best friends? Best _friends_? Don't you think they would like to be more than just _friends_? I mean, can't you tell from how they look at each other? The long gazes, the unsaid words, the constant companionship. Every girl wants her fairytale ending and I am determined to help Mango get hers. No matter the cost! Whatever it TAKES!" Zoe yelled out. She began to reach a frenzy and started pacing in front of her friends. She realized that she was beginning to rant and stopped herself. Clearing her throat once, she plastered a smile on her face. "So, lets get going with Operation Fabulous, shall we?"

Her friends gave each other worried looks before finally deciding to nod their heads. Minka began to scratch hers. She could not understand what was so wrong with being friends. She had friends, lots of friends and she was always looking forward to making another. What did it mean for Mango and Sunil to be _more_ than friends? They were already best friends and that was more than friends. She shrugged and began to follow her friends. They were getting ready for Zoe's plan. Minka figured that Zoe knew what she was doing. After all, Zoe tended to know more about girly, fairytale things like this. Plus, Operation Fabulous sounded like it would be fun and Minka loved fun things. Correction. She loved, _loved,_ LOVED fun things! Giggling, Minka ran after her friends.

Zoe sighed and followed her friends as well. _I am doing this for Mango. Only for Mango._

She had read some very interesting notes the day before and had decided to act upon them. Her instincts had already told her that something was going on between these two pets, something that they didn't even know about. But she knew. Those notes had only confirmed her suspicions. It was so tragic when two pets were longing to be together. This situation was made even more tragic by the fact that the two pets did not even know that they longed to be with each other. That was why it was up to Zoe to make everything better. Once the plan worked and they were blissfully in each others hearts and each others arms, they would thank her. She sighed dreamily. None of her romantic endeavors had ever lasted much more than a day. She had fallen in love so many times, only to have her heart crushed. For some reason it never worked out. The problem couldn't of been her. She was fabulous. It had to have been bad luck. She was determined to make sure Mango did not suffer such a horrendous fate.

...

Mango was curled on a pillow in the Day Camp area. She was vigorously scribbling down words in her yellow journal. Her eyes were intense. Her mouth was set in a permanent line, giving no hint on what she was writing. Every now and then her tail twitched as she wrote down a particularly powerful word. Despite her focus on her work, she jerked her head up when a Day Camper walked over to her. She smiled as she slid the book under her cushion. Carefully, she placed herself on top of it so that it could not be slid out from underneath her. It was a distrustful move, she knew that, but Mango also knew that trust had to be given sparingly.

"Hey Penny Ling. What's up?" Mango called out cheerfully. Her smile faltered when she noticed a troubled look behind the panda's eyes. Shaking it off as her imagination, Mango continued to smile at her friend. It was always nice to talk to Penny Ling. She was a good listener. Penny Ling had a soft spoken attitude that made you feel comfortable talking to her. Mango sighed, she wished that more of her friends were like that.

"Hi Mango. I was wondering if I could sit with you." Penny Ling said with a small sniffle. She quickly wiped her eyes before Mango could notice the moisture in them. "Can I?"

"Sure Penny Ling." Mango kept her book hidden. She did not want to be rude and ignore Penny Ling, and she also did not want Penny Ling seeing what she was writing.

Penny Ling sat down and began to look around the room nervously. She blinked a few times before focusing her gaze on Mango. Taking a deep breath, she began to talk to Mango. "Mango, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Penny Ling, anything." Mango said with a trusting smile.

Penny Ling felt her heart break. She was sneaking information from one of her friends. Worst of all, her friend was trying to help her and she wasn't sure if she was doing the same. "I wanted to know how you know you are in… love." Penny Ling's eyes widened as she waited for Mango's reaction. Despite her feelings toward what she was doing, Penny Ling wanted to know what Mango would say.

"Well… um… uh…" Mango stammered. She was taken aback by Penny Ling's question. Her mind raced as she tried to think of an appropriate response. Mango was dying to know why Penny Ling was asking this question. Did Penny Ling like someone? Was it someone in this room? Did this someone have blue fur, gold eyes, and a cowardly disposition? Mango shook her head vigorously. Where had that last question come from?

 _Alright Mango, calm down. Answer your friend's question. Come on, don't think… feel._

Mango closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them. "Penny Ling, you know you are in love when… when…" She searched for the right words. "you feel complete when you are with them. You feel happy, lighter than air, when they are near. You laugh just from the sheer joy of being with them. When you are with them you feel like nothing can hurt you and you know that you will never let anything hurt them. It is a feeling of complete, peace."

Penny Ling leaned forward. Her violet eyes widened as she drank in every word Mango spoke. She had never heard anything like this before.

"You love everything about the pet, even the things that no one else seems to. You see their strengths even when they don't see it themselves. In your heart you know that they see your strengths too. They see no one else but you. To them you are the most beautiful thing in the whole world, and to you they are the most handsome pet there is." Mango began to gaze at the floor, she was no longer speaking to Penny Ling. "He is smart, capable of keeping long, intelligent conversations. His vocabulary is tremendous, so that you have to think about what he is saying and pay attention to every word."

"Why?" Penny Ling interrupted. She didn't understand why Mango would want to be confused all of the time.

"Because it stimulates your mind, and it makes what he is saying sound… poetic. He is kind and caring. Loyal to his friends and to you. He has a way of making you feel special and describes things in a way that only he can. Maybe he is a little insecure, but you like that because it shows you just how great he is. Because even when he can't see all the wonderful things about him, he can still see them in you. His cowardice is pushed aside when you need him and you do everything you can to build him up. Sometimes you just lie on the cushions and talk for hours. Understanding each other like no one else could." Mango looked at Penny Ling with eyes shining with emotion. "That is how you know you are in love."

Penny Ling smiled and walked away quietly. She was sure that Mango didn't even notice. She reached the purple dog hiding behind the chair and smiled softly. "It's Sunil."

...

Minka swung from the lights, she was searching for her friend Sunil. He was nowhere to be seen. Scratching her head, she stopped swinging and hung from her tail. Her light blue eyes surveyed the room. Sometimes it was really difficult to find her friend. Sometimes it was really easy too. This time it was hard. She frowned and kept looking. It was up to her to bring Sunil to the place The _special_ place. The SUPER _special_ place! The place where he was going to tell Mango everything and live happily ever after. At least according to Zoe, that was going to happen. Minka shrugged. Zoe knew about these things.

"Where is Sunil?" Minka muttered. Finally she saw a glimpse of blue. It had to be Sunil. With an excited shriek she leaped forward and landed in front of him. Sunil was silently crawling out of the dumbwaiter and did not notice her until she was directly in front of him. He was startled and let out a high pitched scream. Thankfully it only lasted a moment. Minka stuck a finger in her ear and wiggled it around to get rid of the ringing. Sometimes Sunil could be louder then her. Shaking her head, she smiled a huge grin and jumped up and down.

"Sunil! I need to show you something! Something you will LOVE!" Minka yelled out in Sunil's face. She pretended not to notice him glaring at her as he wiped some spit off of his brow. He would not be glaring at her for long. He would be too busy looking at someone else.

"What could it possibly be Minka? Can't you see that I am busy?" Sunil whined as he flicked the moisture from his finger. He was answered by Minka shoving her face in front of his. Obviously she did not notice how busy he was. "Minka, you are standing uncomfortably close to me. Back off!" Sunil shoved Minka away before stomping off toward the food section of the Day Camp area.

"Okay… I guess you don't want to see the super cool surprise I have for you." Minka yelled over her shoulder as she started to walk away slowly. She giggled as she noticed Sunil stop walking and look at her. His eyes widened with interest as he waited to see if she would say anything else about the surprise.

Minka only grinned and began to walk away.

Sunil's eyes darted back and forth as he struggled with himself internally. He desperately wanted to see what Minka had to show him, but he also really wanted to go off and hide somewhere no one would ever find him. He stood still for a few minutes, frozen with indecision. He began to twist his tail. It was a nervous habit that he had never been able to break. It calmed him to be doing something with his paws and helped keep his mind off of what was bothering him. Sunil sighed, he had tried to break the habit many times. It was never easy when everyone knew you were nervous. If they saw him messing with his tail they knew he was nervous, when they knew he was nervous it made him even _more_ nervous, and that only caused him to twist his tail even more. Plus, he thought he might be rubbing a bald spot onto his tail.

"Alright! I'll go see the surprise. But once I am finished I am continuing with my _very_ important business. Ok Minka?" Sunil said while raising one eyebrow. He wanted to be sure that Minka understood that he was going only to satisfy his curiosity.

"Whatever you say Sunil!" Minka screeched out as she raced off toward the chair in the Day Camp area.

 _Your turn Pepper!_ Minka thought as she raced away with the blue mongoose behind her.

 _..._

Pepper was nervous. _Really_ nervous. She had never given anyone a make over before and wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. The makeup felt gunky in her paws and squished all over her. She thought that there might be more make up on _her_ than on Mango. Pepper tried not to gag as the smell of cosmetics hit her nose. It smelled even worse than her. Like chemicals mixed with toxic fumes. How did Zoe stand it? Squinting, she tried in vain to keep the eyeshadow on the eyelid. With a spastic jerk, her paw slipped and ran the light green shadow all over Mango's face. Mango now had a light green streak going across her entire face. Grumbling under her breath, Pepper began to wipe away the offending line.

 _Zoe really should be the one doing this._ Pepper thought as she rubbed away the green eyeshadow and tried again. This time her arm held steady and she was able to cover both eyelids without any trouble. Pepper groaned. She still had the rest of Mango's face to do. She grabbed a big brush and covered it with Mascara. Soon Mango had long, luscious eyelashes that fluttered when she blinked. Mango blinked quite a lot, Pepper figured some make up must had gotten into her eyes. Shrugging, Pepper continued. After all, Mango wasn't complaining.

Glops of conditioner cream went from Pepper's paws into Mango's big curl and made it shine in the light. It definitely looked softer and bouncier. _Maybe I should put a little on my tail sometime._ Pepper mused as she reached for more make up. She wasn't sure how much of this stuff she was supposed to use, but it was probably better to have too much than too little. A flash of pink appeared on Mango's lips before Pepper wiped it away. She didn't need anything on her lips. Pepper really just wanted to focus on her eyes. They were big and bright, and kind of overpowering. They made you forget that she even had light green eyeshadow on. That would never do, Zoe wanted the make up to really pop. In a flash of inspiration Pepper grabbed the eyeshadow box with one paw and a brush in the other. If Zoe wanted this make up to really pop, she was going to make it POP!

 _Zoe is going to love this!_

...

Zoe looked around and smiled in approval. Everything looked perfect. She was impressed by everything she had managed to do, and in such a short time. It was remarkable what could be achieved in such a small space as well. She had not wanted her plan to be interrupted by Russell or Vinnie so she had chosen a secluded place to carry it out. Besides, Sunil and Mango might feel freer to express their feeling when they did not feel like they were being watched by others. Zoe smiled slyly, they were going to thank her for this someday.

She had gotten every single one of Minka's art materials and put them into the scene behind the chair. Large rolls of paper were taped to the wall and to the back of the couch. On the paper she had painted the ocean with a glorious sunset behind it. The reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks blended together perfectly. Inside of the swirl of color was a bright yellow sun. Zoe had taken the time to paint some palm trees around the scenery to add some foliage to the area. On the floor she had unrolled more paper, this paper was a sandy color and had been decorated with tiny seashells. Zoe had done it, she had made a beach in the Day Camp area. It had everything needed for two pets to confess their love.

An ocean view, swaying palm trees, sandy floor, she had even placed her boom box nearby so she could play a slow island song. As she pressed the button a smooth island rhythm leaked out of the boom box. Sighing, Zoe half closed her eyes and swayed to the song. She wondered how Pepper was coming along with Mango. She hoped that she did not go too overboard with the make up. After all, she was trying to _enhance_ Mango's natural beauty, not completely cover it. Zoe gave a small chuckle, she had nothing to worry about. After all, Pepper had come a long way since the dumbwaiter incident. Zoe was positive that Pepper knew better than to wear all of that horrible, gaudy eyeshadow and would never put it on Mango.

Just then Zoe heard paw steps behind her. _Good, she is here._ Zoe turned to greet Pepper and Mango.

...

Russell raised his head and tried to identify the source of that horrible shriek. He pinpointed it behind the couch and began to walk over. Whatever had happened, it sounded as if Zoe had seen something truly horrible.

...

"What do you mean she looks horrible? She looks great!" Pepper whispered fiercely to Zoe. They were huddled up away from Mango, their backs were facing her and they could not see her expression.

"I mean, she looks HORRIBLE!" Zoe whispered. It sounded like venom was dripping from every word.

"Well _I_ think she looks amazing!" Pepper retorted.

"That is because you don't know anything about fashion! Or make up for that matter." Zoe whispered with a roll of her eyes.

"That is not true!" Pepper spat back while waving her hands in the air.

"What do you mean, _that's not true_! The evidence is standing right before me! It's burning my very eyes!" Zoe yelled out. Her eyes widened as she realized that she had spoken a little too loud. Blushing, she threw an apologetic glance toward Mango before turning back to Pepper. "Now _I_ have to fix this because you could not do the one thing I asked you to."

Zoe huffed and began to walk toward Mango. She cringed as she looked over Mango's face. She looked like one of Minka's paintings. Her eyelids were covered completely with bright green eyeshadow. Across the bright green eyeshadow was several pink streaks. The pink ran down her face and smudged on the bottom of her eyes. As if the pink was not enough, Pepper had seen fit to completely cover her eye lids with rhinestones of many colors. Blue, red, green, purple, pink, every color imaginable was stuck somewhere on Mango's face. She had bright pink blush on, the blush made striking circles on her cheeks. Pepper had threw some glitter on her cheeks, as if the circles weren't noticeable enough. Zoe shuddered as she attempted to wipe the horrific substances off of Mango's face. Her paws were soon covered with the make up.

"Ewwwwwww!" Zoe flung her paws in an attempt to free them from the gunk. Some splattered on Pepper's scowling face. Zoe could not care less. "Whatever did she _do_ to you darling." Zoe muttered with pity as she tried to make Mango presentable. She did not have much time.

Zoe tsked and began to reapply make up onto Mango's face. She was going with some nice bright pink for her lids. In a flash of inspiration, Zoe put three little dots of green eyeshadow on the corners of her lids. They added a nice pop to the make up and gave it some personality. In disgust she flung away the rhinestones. Zoe stopped and began looking around the room. Pepper was wiping the make up from her face and was not paying attention to what Zoe was doing. Quickly, she scooped up a yellow rhinestone and placed it on Mango's cheek.

"There! _Now_ you look fabulous!" Zoe cried out with excitement as she surveyed Mango up and down. It was bold, but shy. Flashy, but subtle. Unique, but stylish. It was some of Zoe's finer works. Something that was sure to be a big hit.

 _She looks amazing. I only wish I would have been able to do Sunil too. Oh well. I am sure that once Sunil sees Mango, he will be the one to give the nudge._

"Alright Mango, all I need you to do is stand right here." Zoe pushed Mango to the center of the beach she had created. "Just look fabulous! Strike a pose! Strike another! You! Yourself! Posing! Fabulous!"

Zoe began striking poses as she spoke and soon became lost in her fantasy. Pose, pose, another one, strike another, pose, posing! A loud cough from Pepper brought her back to reality and reminded her of what she was currently doing. Clearing her throat, Zoe smiled at Mango and motioned for her to begin posing. Mango shuffled her feet nervously, but other than that she was completely still. Her ears were threatening to lower and she was shivering slightly. Smiling nervously, she gave a small chuckle. Then Mango's gaze quickly lowered to the floor. Her irises got smaller and began darting around her eyeballs. It was as if she was about to have a panic attack.

Zoe frowned. She should have known this would happen. Mango was the kind of pet who preferred to stay out of the spotlight. Any form of attention would be appreciated, and unwanted at the same time. It was a strange combination. Russell had tried to explain it to her once, but she had zoned out halfway through. Zoe always zoned out when he began his psychology lectures. Blah, blah, blah. How could a pet love and hate the spotlight at the same time? It was ridiculous.

 _I suppose it is just another reason why Mango should be with Sunil. Only_ he _would love a pet who doesn't know how to act in the spot light. Of course Mango would be the only pet to find cowardice attractive. They deserve each other!_ Zoe was startled to hear a growl escape her throat. She studied the floor for a moment. No matter how hard she tried, she could not figure out whether her thought was a kind one or one filled with scorn. Why would she think unkindly of Mango and Sunil? They were her friends. Friends who were in love. They were caught in some romantic story, full of love and friendship and danger and… and…. and they didn't even _want_ it!

Zoe's eyes narrowed. They had the chance to live out some giant romantic fantasy and they just squandered it away! Sunil should be dashing. Someone brave and bold, with flowers and a voice of honey spilling out poetry. He should ride in and confess his love to Mango. He should sing it in a velvet voice and sweep Mango off of her paws with strong arms. He was supposed to be a knight in shining armor. Brave and bold. Instead he was a coward with no knowledge of love or belief in himself. Instead he ran away from love and hid. There was no poems, no songs. Just shrieks and whimpers from some scared little boy with no romantic notions in his over sized blue head.

 _Light teal._ Zoe corrected herself as she remembered how Mango had informed her of Sunil's true colors.

Then there was Mango. She should be the helpless, delicate, swooning maiden. Someone with dainty paws and a fluttering heart. Whose only dream was to find someone to take her away to a happy ending. She should have soft fur and a pale dress, silken voice and honey daydreams. Wishes about love and finding someone strong to protect her. She was supposed to giggle and play with her fur on purpose. Gently brush his arm and pull the strings. But no, she was afraid of the spot light. She was a cowering dog with no desire for love. She did not have romantic dreams or even want romance. It scared her, being the center of attention _scared_ her. Mango wore no dresses, she did not play with her fur or giggle. All she did was run and play. She was bold, needing no man to protect her. But once someone asked her to do a simple pose, she was reduced to jelly. A contradicting little dog with no romance wanted.

This was not how the story was supposed to go. But they got the story anyway while Zoe was left with no story at all.

Zoe's eyes snapped up as she realized what she was feeling. She was not doing this for Mango or Sunil. She was not doing this because she wanted Mango to have a happily ever after, she just wanted one of her own and she wasn't getting one. Zoe was jealous. Her eyes watered as she looked at the friend she had believed she was helping.

Mango was standing there on a fake beach with no idea about what was going on. Her eyes were terrified and darted around frantically. She had make up covering her face, taking the attention away from her striking yellow eyes. Nervous paws shuffled on the fake sand and a fluffy tail shook between her hind legs. Her chest heaved up and down repeatedly with short nervous breaths. She looked so scared and so confused. But she stayed because she did not want to disappoint her friends. She believed in them. She believed in Zoe. Hesitantly, Mango glanced upward and met Zoe's light blue eyes. A small smile formed on her lips. An apologetic smile, Mango believed that _she_ was the one messing up.

 _Poor Mango, she looks so scared. What is about to happen next will only scare her even more. She might never recover! She could spend the rest of her life running away from the awkward atmosphere between them. She could lose her best friend… all because I was jealous._

Zoe looked around frantically, she had to find somewhere for Mango to hide. Then she could tell her what was going on. She still wanted to help her, but she wanted to help her in a way that Mango would enjoy. They could talk about what was going on and Mango's feelings toward the whole situation. That way Zoe would know the right way to fix things.

Her ears perked up as she heard a noise coming from the other side of the Day Camp area. It sounded like a screaming monkey being followed by a panting mongoose.

 _Oh no._


	15. Chapter 15: Organized Chaos

Chapter 15: Organized Chaos

Sunil was panting heavily as he chased after Minka. It was not that he was out of shape, in fact, he was actually quite athletic. He was well built do to the rigor of visiting the Littlest Pet Shop. They tended to go on adventures quite often and most of the time those adventures put some stress on his small, mongoose body. His legs moved swiftly and his long body helped slice through the wind fighting him, but the monkey in front of him was quicker and more agile than two of the mongoose combined. She was steadily getting further and further away from him. Soon he was only able to follow because of the long tail streaming in front of him.

"Minka! Slow down… my… dear… monkey… friend!" Sunil called out. He gulped heavily after every word and was soon gasping for breath do to the strain of running and speaking at the same time. In desperation, he reached one paw forward and grabbed onto Minka's long, pink tail. Letting out a screech, Minka hurled herself forward in surprise, taking Sunil with her.

They raced through the Day Camp area at twice the speed they had raced before. Minka was frantic. She had not expected anyone to grab her tail. She had not wanted anyone to grab her tail. So who was grabbing her tail? Screeching and hollering with confusion, she began to zig zag through the Day Camp area. Her path was no longer a straight line for the chair like she had planned. Now she was dashing over cushions, through piles of pet toys, and even jumping over a very startled Russell. She barely heard the hedgehog call out her name and only acknowledged him with a brief nod as she raced past.

"Minka! It is I who have your tail! Slow down! I fear I may run out of…" Sunil called out as he tried to keep up with the pink monkey. He was not able to finish his sentence however, because his paw slipped. He soon found himself hurtling through the air and landing, face first, into some kind of sandy colored paper. Scowling and brushing himself off, Sunil looked around at was taken aback. He seemed to be in the middle of some kind of fake beach. But he had no idea why. Suddenly his eyes widened, Mango was standing in front of him. Her mouth was open in surprise, but he could not stop looking at her eyes. They were adorned with make up that was quite becoming.

"Sunil, now is your chance! Tell Mango how you feel!" Minka screeched into his ear with her version of a whisper. Her whisper was not much of a whisper and Mango overheard.

"What do you mean? Sunil, do you have something to tell me?" Mango asked with wide eyes. Her make up glittered in the light.

"I… I… I don't have anything to tell you." Sunil stammered out. He was trying to figure out what exactly was going on. His mind could not comprehend the situation he was in.

"Sure you do. Now just tell her how you feel." Pepper said as she watched Sunil's face.

"But I _don't_ have anything to say!" Sunil tried explaining again.

"Maybe this isn't the best idea." Zoe said softly to Pepper.

"But this was all _your idea_!" Pepper said loudly. Too loudly.

"What do you mean, this was all Zoe's idea? What exactly is this anyway?" Russell asked with a frown as he walked into the fake beach.

"Zoe wants to help Sunil tell Mango how he feels!" Minka screeched out from the top of the chair She was bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Does Sunil _want_ to tell Mango how he feels?" Russell asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course he does! Right Sunil?" Pepper said as she elbowed Sunil in his side.

"Uh…" Sunil tried to talk again.

"I don't think this is a good idea." A small voice whispered from behind Zoe.

"Penny Ling? What are you doing here?" Mango asked with a small frown.

"I was part of it! I'm so sorry Mango! I never meant to hurt you or scare you or make you feel bad in any way! But I DID make you feel bad and I feel just awful!" Penny Ling yelled out with a burst of tears. Her wailing seemed to add to the confusion and only caused everyone to get more agitated.

"You mean when I was talking to you, it was all so Zoe could make this?" Mango gestured at the chaos around her.

"Mango, darling, I can explain." Zoe tried to interrupt.

"Then please do! First you give me a complete make over, _against my will_. When you are finished you tell me to go show someone! Now you come and do the exact same thing, but this time you make a _fake beach_ to go with it! You drag my best friend here and pressure him to tell me something when he obviously doesn't want to! So please, do _explain_!" Mango yelled out in a fury. She was panicked, frustrated, and needed to lash out on someone.

"Mango… I" Zoe began.

"Sunil just tell her!" Minka screeched.

"Come on Sunil. Stop being such a baby." Pepper said as she gave him a shove.

Sunil lurched forward and was standing right in front of Mango. His mouth was open but no sound was coming out. He hated large crowds, he hated being the center of attention, he hated loud noises, he hated confrontation, he hated not knowing what was going on, and he hated the way his stomach was flip flopping. He closed his eyes so he would not see the scene unfolding before him, but he could still hear every word.

"Tell her Sunil!"

"Don't you think she looks pretty Sunil?"

"Maybe was should leave him alone…"

"Zoe, what were you thinking?"

"I can explain."

"Sunil, are you all right?"

Sunil opened his eyes and looked at the pet who had spoken. Her eyes were sparkling with worry. Gently, she touched his trembling paw with her own. A small smile formed on her lips as she tried to calm him down. Sunil felt a smile forming on his face as well. His stomach was slowly beginning to stop it's acrobatics.

"TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" With a scream like a banshee, Sunil tore his paw away from Mango's and threw himself into the dumbwaiter. He closed the door behind him.

"MINKA!" Everyone yelled in unison at the pink monkey who was standing directly behind where Sunil had been.

"What, I thought that was what we wanted him to do. Remember? Operation Fabulous. Penny Ling finds out how Mango feels about Sunil. I bring Sunil here to the fake beach Zoe made. Pepper gets Mango pretty so Sunil can see her and express his feelings. Then, BOOM! Everyone is happy and Mango and Sunil have a happily ever after." Minka rambled on with a smile and she swung her tail around and revealed everything to Russell and Mango.

Zoe's eyes widened and she tried to motion at Mango with them while silently telling Minka to _be quiet_. Minka unfortunately did not get the message and continued to talk. When Minka had finished telling her story she bounced away without another word.

"I think I need to go." Mango said quietly. She then walked away toward the fire hydrant and slowly crawled inside.

"Zoe, you made this mess… now I have to fix it." Russell said with a frown. He then walked away while tapping his clipboard with a pencil.

Zoe frowned and looked around. Her eyes watered slightly but she wiped them with a paw before any moisture could fall. Her fake beach had seemed like such a good idea. Everything had been planned out perfectly. The scenery was amazing, Mango looked incredible, and Sunil was in a secluded place. But then everything had erupted into chaos. Organized chaos created by her. Zoe stomped her foot. Russell was right. She had made this mess with her plan _Operation Fabulous_. Now she needed to fix it.

"Girls, we have a friendship to save."


	16. Chapter 16: That Emotion

Chapter 16: That Emotion

Sunil was huddled in the dumbwaiter. It was dark. Normally he was afraid of the dark, but at that moment he liked it. The dark helped conceal him from his fears. At least, he hoped it would. The only problem was that his fears were hiding along with him. They lived in his mind and crawled around inside of him. It was impossible to hide from yourself. He knew that. He still tried.

Sunil moaned and hugged his knees. He tried to huddle up smaller and smaller, tried to disappear. He wanted to be consumed by the darkness around him. He wanted to be hidden away where no one could ever find him. Where no one could ever try to make him admit things that he did not even know. His paws tightened around his knees as he hugged himself tighter. Small whimpering sounds began to escape from his throat. It was not very loud, but in the quiet of the dumbwaiter it sounded like a roar. Fearful that his whimpering might bring others to the dumbwaiter, Sunil quieted down. He scooted to the side in an attempt to press himself further into the wall. His fur brushed the coldness of the dumbwaiter and caused him to bristle but he did not mind. The cold helped divert his thoughts away from his troubles.

What did his friends hope to accomplish by forcing him to talk to Mango? What did they think he knew? What did _they_ know? Sunil lifted his head from his knees and stared into the empty air in front of him. He tried to figure out what they had wanted him to tell her. It was as if what he needed to say was fog floating right in front of him. He could see it, he knew it was there, but he could not grasp it.

Sunil let his mind wander. He did not guide it, he let it go where it wished. Closing his golden eyes, he simply thought.

 _He was lying down on a pet bed. Next to him was a fuzzy figure, he could not make out who it was until it began to speak. Her voice was soft, hesitant, and worried._

 _"Sunil, do you think that I am a third wheel?" She said in a quivering voice._

 _"No, of course not. Why would you ever think that?" Sunil responded with concern._

 _"Well, you and Vinnie are best friends. You two do everything together, at least you did before I showed up. Sometimes I feel like I might be splitting you two apart. Maybe I shouldn't hang out with you so much." She responded, refusing to look him in the eye._

 _"Never think that. Vinnie and I still hang out together all the time, only you are there too. But you enhance the times we share, not diminish it." He said while trying to reach for her paw._

 _"But… I came last. I feel guilty whenever I come over and it is only the two of you. Like I ruin the moment or something. Three is a crowd." She kept gazing at the ceiling and moved her paw away._

 _"Listen to me, sometimes you need three wheels. We are not a machine that only needs two wheels to work. Our friendship is like a tricycle. You need all three wheels, all are equally important and equally special. Never think that you have ruined anything. I feel so happy whenever I am with Vinnie. My world shines." Sunil began as he attempted to grab her paw again. She was still resisting._

 _"Exactly… and I cause it to dim." She kept staring at the ceiling._

 _"No… you make it sparkle. I feel twice as happy now. I will not lie. I am a coward, I am a pessimist, I am not the best magician. But I am a happy mongoose. That is because of my best friends. Both of them." He succeeded in grabbing her paw and held it firmly. She turned and gazed at him with shining, yellow eyes._

 _"Sunil, how come you always know the right answers to give?" She asked with a smile._

 _"Because you always know the right questions to ask." He responded with a smile._

 _"You are my best friend Sunil."_

 _"You are mine too Mango."_

Sunil opened his eyes. He remembered that day vividly. Mango had been feeling self conscious about her place in the Pet Shop. She thought she was breaking up his friendship with Vinnie. Sunil shook his head. Never. He cared for them both deeply. Vinnie was fun and talented. He was slightly dim, but he was also incredibly loyal. Understanding, patient, and he tolerated Sunil's flaws. Sunil smiled as he thought of the dim witted little gecko.

Mango was fun too. She was also loyal and understanding. Kind and caring, smart and well read. She not only tolerated his flaws, she _enjoyed_ them. He had heard her remark about how she enjoyed his cowardice. He believed that she had said it, 'made him unique and defined his personality.' His pessimistic remarks usually brought a small smile to her face. Her face… Sunil remembered when he had first laid eyes on her face.

He had tried not to make a scene, after all, she was only another new camper. But he had felt something strange when he first saw her. Her bright orange fur had seemed so shiny and soft. Her chocolate brown markings had intrigued him. For a moment he had found himself tracing over the chocolate lines with his eyes. He loved the way her hair swirled on top of her head. It had seemed so bouncy and fun. Like her personality, but he did not find that out till later. Then there was her eyes. They had mesmerized him. So much like his, only brighter. Like the sun. He stared for a moment before composing himself. Yes, Mango was a special camper.

She was talented. Her many talents were too numerous to count. He loved the way she told stories. He loved the way she sang. He loved the way she talked about computers. He loved the way she volunteered to be his assistant. He loved the way she tolerated his mistakes. He loved the way she held his paw when he got scared. He loved the way she was always there to talk to. He loved the way her hair bounced when she ran. He loved the way her eyes glowed when hit by light. He loved…

Sunil jumped up with a start and bumped his head on the ceiling of the dumbwaiter. Rubbing his head, he simply stared as he realized what they had wanted him to say. It was so obvious, yet he had missed it for so long. Grinning a goofy smile, Sunil just sat there in silence. Then he realized what it meant he would have to do. He would have to tell Mango. The smile cracked like glass and was replaced by a grimace of pure fear. An emotion he knew well. This new one, was strange and new. He did not know how to deal with it. He felt as confused as the day he had first saw Mango and had not know what was happening.

Softly laughing to himself, Sunil went back to that day. He replayed it over and over again in his mind. Why, he had taken such a long time to stop looking at Mango that he had not even noticed… Vinnie… staring.

"Oh no. This is not good." Sunil said with a shiver. Then that emotion came back stronger than ever. That emotion he knew so well. Fear.

...

Mango was huddled inside of the fire hydrant. Her entire body was shaking as she covered her eyes with her paws. Her stomach hurt. She felt like a thousand butterflies were flying around frantically inside of her. This was one of the _worst_ days of her life. It was by far the most terrifying, exhausting, heart breaking day of her life. Her ears flicked as she raised her head. Her eyes narrowed for a moment as her mind focused on something she had overlooked. There was one day that was harder than this one. The day she had felt shunned by her fellow pets, the day she had crawled into the same fire hydrant she was in now, and had felt all alone. Her eyes watered as she remembered the feeling of being rejected. Then the moisture dried up as the memory continued.

She had met Sunil that day. Mango knew that technically she had already met him when she had first appeared at Littlest Pet Shop, but she really classified that day as their _true_ first meeting. Her first day at Littlest Pet Shop was just a formality. She had met all the pets in one moment and had learned what they did and what their names were. But she had not _truly_ met any of them. That day, Sunil had climbed into the fire hydrant and comforted her. She had seen that he was caring, that he was not scared when it came to helping a friend, and that he was the kind of pet she could trust and rely on. She had seen what was inside of Sunil. She had truly met him.

Mango gently closed her eyes and lowered her head. Her entire body relaxed as she allowed herself to be swept away by another pleasant memory. The hair on her back gently lied flat and was still. Her breathing slowed and she soon was at peace.

 _Mango was running through the Pet Shop. Her feet were flying faster and faster than ever before. She was like a streak of bright orange cutting through the air in front of her. Her breathing was only slightly labored. Mango generally did not like exercise, but there was something invigorating about running when you chose to do it. It heightened the senses and tested your strength, both physically and mentally. She estimated that she had been running for only a few minutes when she suddenly stopped. This was not an intended halt, she simply crashed into a box of pet toys. Rolling head first, she soon was completely covered by the toys._

 _She giggled at this unintended joke she had played on herself and tried to crawl out from under the oppressive toys. Mango stopped struggling when she heard a noise in front of her. Her yellow eyes peeked out from inside between the pile of pet toys in search of what had made the noise. The strange sound turned out to be a quiet laugh from one of her best friends. It was high pitched and repetitive. Some would call it annoying, she called it wonderful. She listened for a moment before focusing on why the pet was making the laugh._

 _He was standing in front of a huge chest of props, it was full to the brim with wonderful objects and the pet was rifling through them all. Occasionally he would release another giggle, then it would turn into a laughing fit. Mango had to work hard to keep herself from joining in. Finally he found what he had been searching for. It was a long black stick with a white tip. His most prized possession. With it he had amazed pets, annoyed pets, and occasionally covered pets with black soot._

 _Hugging the stick to him, he began to try a new trick. A stream of sparkles began to flow from the wand's tip and trailed across the floor. It was only a trickle at first, but then it grew to a steady stream, and finally into a tidal wave of light. It hovered closely to the floor and looked breath taking, but it was not what he was going for. With a steady look of concentration on his face, he waved the wand around in large circles. This caused the light stream to do the same and soon it looked like a huge ribbon composed of nothing but light swirling around in the air. Mango watched the ribbon in awe as it swirled higher and higher before it finally exploded into a rain of sparkles. Soon, they too disappeared, and the only object left in front of her was the Magician himself._

 _But Mango did not stop staring. She did not know why. The magic show was over. The breathtaking lights were gone. But she could not stop staring. Her eyes were riveted on the pet standing in front of her. He was standing straight and had a wide grin on his face. His eyes shined with accomplishment and twinkled in the light. She had to admit, he looked kind of… admirable. Joy radiated from him and seeped into her very soul. His eyes were bright, his smile large, and his stance victorious. As Mango roamed her eyes across his body she could not help but notice that he was not that bad to look at physically either._

 _He was a tall pet. Tall enough the she could look up to him, but not too tall that her neck would be stretched at an awkward position. His fur was a pleasant shade of blue and was well groomed. She imagined that it would be soft when rubbed and warm when hugged. Mango did not notice her paws twitch involuntarily as she imagined the texture of his fur. His stripes and markings were pleasant as well. Mango enjoyed the golden shade of his eyes and noted that she had seen very few pets with such eyes. Even fewer of those pets had been male. A soft grin formed on her face as she observed the small tuft of unruly fur he had on the top of his head. Her eyes closed halfway as she traced the lines of his body, his long back, small paws, and pointed tail. He had a cute nose and a nice smile. She could spend hours looking at that smile. Hours hugging that fur and staring into those golden eyes._

 _Her eyes snapped open as she realized how she had been thinking of him. He was her best friend. Friends did not think about caressing another friend's fur. Her cheeks blushed crimson. That was the last time she thought of Sunil that way, until a she watched a show he had put on for her as a way to apologize. Without warning, she had found herself staring into those golden eyes._

Mango woke up with a start. She had wanted to sleep in order to escape the strange feelings she had, not to experience them all over again. Her paws covered her eyes as she tried to shut out the golden ones that kept staring at her. With a growl, Mango surrendered and released her eyes. There was no escaping whatever it was she was feeling, so she figured she might as well not even try. Flopping onto her side, Mango tried to figure out what she was feeling. Her eyes sharpened as she honed in on her emotions. Trying to untangle them like a web of string that had become knotted into a giant ball.

Whenever she was around Sunil she felt happy.

Mango rolled her eyes. _I feel happy whenever I am around all of my friends. So what?_

She rolled over onto her stomach and rested her head on her paws. _This happy is different. It is… warmer somehow._

 _Warmer huh? What does that even mean?_ Her subconscious echoed back to her. Having no one to sort her emotions out with, Mango was going to have to rely on herself to find the weak points in her argument.

 _It just feels… different. When I am with Pepper or Russell, I feel happy. But whenever I am with Sunil I feel… warm. It is like being next to a warm fire. You are relaxed and safe and content. Like nothing could ever stop that feeling._

 _A fire huh? Like a blazing, burning fire?_ Mango's subconscious seemed to wiggle hypothetical eyebrows as she described the flames.

 _Stop twisting my words! I just mean he makes me feel safe._

 _Just safe? Nothing else._

 _Well… I guess he also makes me feel… important._

 _Important huh? Well that sure is special._ Sarcasm seemed to ooze from the voice.

 _It is special! He… is special. When I am with him I feel like… I am important to him. He cares for me and thinks I am something special. I feel safe and sheltered. I know he can be a bit of a coward sometimes, but whenever I need him he is there. I like that, because it means that I mean enough to him that he would brush aside all of his fears…_

 _His many fears._

 _His_ many _fears… for me._

Mango lifted her head and stared out the hole in the fire hydrant slide. She could see no other pets from her view but she knew they were there. They were waiting for her to come out so they could talk to her. They wanted to help her sort out her feelings, but Mango had sorted them out herself. In the back of her mind she felt that she had known she felt this way for a long time and had been too scared to admit it. Foggy memories of a dream she had once came back to haunt her for a few moments. Shaking her head, she dispelled the dream and stood up. She would not freeze this time, this time she would tell Sunil that she returned his feelings. So what if he might not like her back? So what if he might like her for a while and then get bored of her? So what if it might ruin their friendship forever?

Mango stopped as she was about to stick her paw out of the slide. A new emotion began to cloud the warm one she had just acknowledged. An emotion that haunted her whenever she had something to do in front of others. It came to her when she sang, when she had to talk to someone new, and when she had to put her friendship in jeopardy. That emotion she knew so well. Insecurity.

 _..._

Vinnie was sitting on top of a pet bed in the middle of the Day Camp area. He knew that something was wrong. Everyone was passing him with forced smiles and only a quick 'hello' before they dashed off to another part of the Pet Shop. He frowned as he saw Russell walk by with his head buried in his clipboard. He didn't even stop to say hello when Vinnie called out his name. Vinnie huffed. It wouldn't have hurt Russell to at least raise a paw in greeting.

"Something is definitely going on here. Everyone is acting super weird around me." Vinnie murmured to himself.

 _Not everyone._ Vinnie suddenly realized that he had not seen hist two best buddies anywhere. _Where are they?_

Vinnie rolled his eyes and rolled over onto his back. His eyes circled the ceiling in boredom. Lately he had not been able to hang out with his two best friends at all. Ever since that one game of ball they had all played together, it had been him alone. Sunil had left and for some reason they had never met up again. Vinnie scratched his nose and continued to stare at the ceiling. He had never had this problem before. His friends were always around to hang out with and nothing had ever gone so very wrong. Sighing, he traced the lines on the ceiling for a moment before rolling over onto his stomach. He frowned and stared at the floor.

"I wish Sunil was here to talk to." Vinnie mumbled to himself.

He closed his eyes and remembered a time when it had been just him and Sunil.

 _They were both sitting down on the cushions and laughing over some dumb joke one of them had said. It was hard to remember who had said it, but that was not important. What was important was the fact that they were both laughing together as best friends. Vinnie chuckled as he reached over and grabbed their favorite red ball. He tossed it to Sunil and laughed louder when it bounced off of his buddy's face._

 _Shaking his head, Sunil began to laugh too and threw the ball back at Vinnie. They continued to toss the ball back and forth for a few moments before the silence stretched on from companionable to awkward. Sunil cleared his throat in an attempt to break the silence. He started to speak but soon chickened out and stopped attempting to say anything. Vinnie rolled his eyes and giggled at how his friend was acting. He knew that if anyone was going to talk,_ he _was going to have to be the first one._

 _"So Sunster, what do you want to talk about?" That was his attempt at striking up a conversation. It wasn't much, but at least he had managed to get a word out._

 _"Sure my best buddy. Um… lovely weather we are having?" Sunil said while squinting his eyes and forming an apologetic smile._

 _"Yeah, let me try." Vinnie said with a flat look. His friend was many things, but social was not one of them. "Let me see… I got it! Did you see the fight Zoe and Pepper had? It was fierce!"_

 _"Fight?" Sunil asked with a hint of concern._

 _"Yeah! Zoe was sticking her nose around in Pepper's props again and found something interesting. It was one of her dresses! Pepper had took it without asking as a prank! Zoe was not happy about that. She went straight to Pepper and told her off." Vinnie said with a smirk._

 _"Zoe must have been very agitated." Sunil said as he tossed the ball._

 _"Not only that, she was_ mad _! Pepper wasn't going to have it though and started yelling at her too! She said that Zoe had plenty of dresses and that she wasn't going to die if she took one of them as a little prank. Zoe got so mad she grabbed Pepper's chicken and said she was going to take_ it _and see how Pepper liked it." Vinnie started to laugh._

 _Sunil was silent for a moment and did not throw the ball back. He did not think two of his friends fighting was very funny._

 _Vinnie studied Sunil for a minute before smiling. It was just like Sunil to get upset over his friends. "Don't worry about it Sunil, they made up after a while and are just fine."_

 _Sunil soon perked up and tossed the ball back to Vinnie. His stomach had been doing flips over the thought of his two friends fighting each other. He studied Vinnie closely and squinted his eyes at his friend. His mind was torn like a piece of paper. Should he say what was on his mind? Or should he leave it alone? Before Sunil could reach a decision, Vinnie made it for him._

 _The green gecko stared at him for a moment before smiling and asking the question, "What is on your mind Sunster?"_

 _Sunil continued to study Vinnie through narrowed eyes as he replied. "Nothing so trivial would ever cause us to fight, correct?"_

 _"Of course Sunil. You're my best friend and I would never fight with you." Vinnie dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand._

 _Sunil smiled before giving a small, warm laugh. "Of course. Not even if I borrowed your tap shoes."_

 _"Or if I borrowed your magic wand." Vinnie replied._

 _"Or if I messed up your hair."_

 _"Or if I poured paint on you."_

 _"Or if I screamed so loud it hurt your ears."_

 _"Or if I knocked you over while dancing."_

 _"Or if a pretty girl came to Littlest Pet Shop."_

 _Sunil and Vinnie both stopped laughing and just sat there in silence._

 _"Where did that one come from Sunil?" Vinnie asked with a raised eyebrow._

 _Sunil had a thoughtful expression on his face before he slowly answered. "I am not sure, but it does seem like an interesting topic to discuss."_

 _"It does?" Vinnie was not sure why Sunil would want to talk about something as boring as a pretty girl. Vinnie had no time for girls. All they did was whine and complain about everything boys did. He didn't mind the girls at the Littlest Pet Shop, but they were different. They were friends, the type of girl Sunil was talking about was the kind with the pretty face that made your head spin. Those were the kind that Vinnie planned to avoid. Still, Sunil seemed pretty eager to discuss the topic so Vinnie decided to go along with it._

 _"Alright then, lets discuss it. If a total hottie comes into the Pet Shop I promise that I will have nothing to do with her." Vinnie said with a reassuring grin._

 _"Oh no Vinnie, I could never get between you and someone you love. I would be the worst friend in the history of friendship." Sunil said while shaking his head quickly. His tuft of fur waved wildly as he head moved from side to side. "If someone comes in and you truly love her, I would be willing to step aside in order for you to be happy."_

 _Vinnie was shocked and was silent for a moment. He looked at the ground with concern, he didn't know that Sunil was going to take it this seriously. "Sunil, that is really nice. Tell you what, if someone really hot comes in and I like her then I promise I will still make time for you."_

 _"Thank you Vinnie. If someone that I find attractive comes in and I love her, I promise I will still make time for you." Sunil said with a smile. He then caught the ball that Vinnie threw at him. His face looked troubled for a moment before regaining his happy smile. The smile seemed forced however, like something heavy was resting on his mind. When he noticed Vinnie staring at him he cleared his throat and uttered a nervous chuckle. "What is on your mind?"_

 _"I think the question is, what is on_ your _mind?" Vinnie asked while holding the ball._

 _"Well, what if we both love the same girl?" Sunil asked quietly._

 _"What?" Vinnie asked while straining to hear._

 _"What if we both love the same girl?" Sunil repeated louder._

 _"If we both like the same girl…" Vinnie thought "then may the best man win."_

 _"But no matter who wins, we promise to be happy for each other." Sunil said with certainty. Warmth radiated from his grin and soothed Vinnie's frayed nerves._

 _"Yeah, promise."_

Vinnie opened his eyes and sat up straight. His stomach felt sick and his palms had become sweaty. In the back of his mind he knew why that certain memory of him and Sunil had come up. They had made a promise long ago and he wasn't sticking to it. He knew he had feelings for Mango and according to Sunil, Sunil would be happy for him. But here he was, sulking whenever Mango got close to Sunil and trying to get her behind his back. Vinnie stood up with a determined look on his face. His resolve was like steel and he was certain his friendship with Sunil was even stronger. It was finally going to happen. He was going to confide in Sunil his feelings, if Sunil felt the same Vinnie was going to make sure he had a fair chance in this fight. As Vinnie walked off in search of his friend he felt an emotion that had caused him to question himself many times and had almost caused him to question his friendship. That emotion he knew so well. Love.


	17. Chapter 17: May The Best Pet Win

Chapter 17: May The Best Pet Win

Vinnie snuck through the Day Camp area in an attempt to find Sunil. He did not want anyone to know what he was up to. If anyone saw him sneaking around they would certainly try to ask him what he was doing. That was why he was sneaking around. So no one would ask why he was sneaking around. But if he didn't want someone to ask why he was sneaking around, he should just not sneak around at all.

Vinnie paused for a moment. Shaking his head, he started to walk through the Day Camp area. Finally he found the very sight he had been looking for. A shivering blue tail was sticking out from behind the chair. It trembled and shook violently as Vinnie approached. Once he was only a few inches away from the pitiful blue object, Vinnie reached out his hand and poked it. A small shriek emitted from behind the chair and the tail shot back into hiding. Vinnie rolled his eyes before stepping behind the chair as well. In front on him was a huddled up, shaking, panicked, sniffling Sunil. Vinnie's heart pained to see his best buddy so broken.

"Hey Sunster. How's it going?" Vinnie asked awkwardly.

"Vinnie my friend, things are not going good. Things are not going good at all." Sunil replied with ears down and a shaking voice.

"Yeah… I know." Vinnie admitted as he sat down next to his friend.

A moment of silence passed between the two friends as they sat next to each other. They took comfort in each other's presence, yet at the same time it felt strange. The moment stretched on for several minutes. Vinnie was about to attempt to break the silence when Sunil beat him to it.

"They wanted me to tell her."

"What?" Vinnie turned his head to look at the now speaking Sunil.

"They wanted me to tell her. How I feel, that is. I couldn't do it." Sunil clarified.

Another moment of silence.

"I am a coward."

Sunil faced his friend. His eyes shown with many emotions that he could not and would not dare voice. Fear, shame, guilt, confusion, and love. So many different feelings melting together to completely consume him until there was nothing left of the mongoose he once was. Sunil sighed before speaking again. "I love her."

"Yeah, I know." Vinnie responded.

The two best friends sat together in silence for a few more moments.

"You love her too?" Sunil asked quietly. He turned his head and watched Vinnie closely to make sure that his suspicions were true. Deep inside however, he already knew that they were.

"Yep. You?" Vinnie replied, still staring straight ahead. He did not trust himself to look at Sunil. If he did, he knew that his resolve would crack and he would either give Sunil Mango or fight him for her. At that moment he did not know which option he would choose.

"I already told you." Sunil said bluntly.

"Right."

"I really am sorry. I did not mean to fall in love with her, if I could I would give up all of these confusing feelings in a heart beat and let you and her be together." Sunil said fervently.

"Would you?" This time Vinnie did turn his head. His violet eyes met Sunil's golden ones.

Sunil stared for a moment before answering without blinking. "No."

They two friends both sighed at the same time before staring straight ahead again. This time the silence was not uncomfortable or awkward. It was heavy and dark, it was the silence of defeat. Gecko and mongoose had both surrendered to the situation, their feelings, and each other. The only thing left to do was to decide how they were going to handle the tough situation they found themselves in. Best friends wanted the best for each other, but it was completely natural for a pet to want the best for himself too.

Vinnie wanted his friend to be happy. He knew that Sunil was a coward and a pessimist. He needed someone like Mango to keep his spirits up and the remind him that he was just as important as anyone else. He needed someone strong to protect him, yet caring enough to let him think _he_ was the one doing the protecting. Sunil deserved someone pretty like her. Someone who liked magic, his strange way of speaking, and the fact that most things in the world scared him. Vinnie knew that Mango was good for Sunil… but he still loved her.

Vinnie turned his head and looked at Sunil closely. This was going to be hard.

Sunil wanted his friend to be happy. He knew that Vinnie was clumsy and dim. He needed someone like Mango to help him have some common sense and show him that not all ideas were good ones. He needed someone patient to deal with his mistakes, yet smart enough to prevent him from making them. Vinnie deserved someone fun like her. Someone who liked dancing, his awkward movement, and the fact that he was blessed with a good heart, not a bright brain. Sunil knew that Mango was good for Vinnie… but he still loved her.

Sunil turned and looked at Vinnie closely. This was going to be difficult.

"I think that you should get her." They both said at the same time.

"What are you saying Vinnie? You love her!" Sunil said with confusion.

"Yeah, but you love her more." Vinnie replied.

"You saw her first so you have dibs." Sunil said with a determined expression.

"She likes you better!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"You deserve her!"

" _You_ do!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Come on Sunil! Why won't you let me do this?"

"BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL HER!"

Sunil panted heavily as he released all of his built up tension and frustration. He was a coward. He knew he was a coward. Because of his cowardice he knew he would never be able to tell Mango how he felt and even if he did, he would never be able to express himself like Vinnie. Vinnie was not afraid to tell people what he thought and Sunil knew that Vinnie would not be afraid to tell Mango what she deserved to hear. He could tell her that she was prettier than a lone blossom in the middle of a wintery field. Or that her laugh resembled a bird singing in the Springtime. Or that when he was with her he felt that nothing in the world could scare him because he had her by his side. She gave him strength, but he could give her nothing.

"Sunil, if you do love her then tell her. But…" Vinnie hesitated before continuing with a guilty expression on his face. "if you really want me to have her, then I'll take Mango."

Sunil's head snapped toward the sound of Vinnie's voice. "What do you mean, _take_ her?"

"You know, I'll take Mango. I can have her if that is what you want." Vinnie said.

"I don't think it is possible to take her. I think she will have to choose you." Sunil said while thinking. "You might have a harder time than you think."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Vinnie said with a bitter tone in his voice.

"I am just saying that you might have some way to go before Mango views you as close enough to get into a relationship with." Sunil said calmly.

"Why? Because she likes _you_ better?" Vinnie said softly.

Sunil paused. He did not know why he had said what he did, but he had the sneaking suspicion that what Vinnie said was true. Sunil was about to apologize to Vinnie. He knew that Vinnie had a blunt way of speaking and did not know which terms were appropriate and which were not. He did not really mean to _posses_ Mango, only that he would tell her of his love and see what she did. Of course Vinnie did not think that one simply _takes_ a girl. Just as Sunil was about to talk, Vinnie spoke.

"I could get any girl I wanted! I want Mango so I am going to get her! Like you said, I got dibs!" Vinnie said with a huff.

Sunil's eyes narrowed. "You do not simply get something because _you_ want it! Love is a mutual emotion. Anyway, we are not talking about _any_ girl, we are talking about _this_ girl!"

"Listen, I am going to get Mango before you so just… just… STAY OUT OF MY WAY!"

"You listen to me you… you… irritating, little reptile! Mango does not love you!" Sunil screamed out.

"How would you know?" Vinnie asked dangerously quiet.

"Because she loves me." Sunil said with grim determination.

Vinnie's eyes widened in shock. With a hurt expression on his face he said, "Fine. May the best pet win."

Sunil stared back at Vinnie. His face was unreadable and his eyes were unblinking. "May the best pet win."

Quietly the two friends slipped out from behind the chair and went their separate ways.


	18. Chapter 18: A Friend

Chapter 18: A friend

Quietly she typed on the keyboard. Blythe had allowed her to use her computer after she had told her she need to talk to someone right away. Blythe had been nice enough to not pry, but Mango knew she was dying to know what was being written on the computer. Instead of looking over Mango's shoulder, she had her nose stuck in a book. Occasionally she would peek over to see what Mango was doing. But the peeking never lasted long and Mango was not bothered by it at all.

Her paws clicked gently over the large keyboard. Because of her experience with computers, she was a fast typer and knew the most efficient ways to get her little paws to the keys she needed. She was on a chat website. It was titled PETS. Place Everyone Talks Safely. It had been made by a computer savvy pet who had decided that pets needed a way to communicate over long distances. He had secretly created this chat website and spread the word. Being a computer enthusiast, Mango soon knew about it and was using it happily to communicate to pets far and wide. She had slipped the information to one of her close friends in case she ever needed to contact him again. Thankfully he had a computer of his own and was alerted when someone tried to contact him.

AwesomeMango: Hello, are you there?

SuperStar1: Yes.

AwesomeMango: Good because I need some advice. I don't know who else to go to.

SuperStar1: What is the problem?

AwesomeMango: I think I am in love…

SuperStar1: With who?

AwesomeMango: Sunil.

SuperStar1: Oh… have you told him yet?

AwesomeMango: No, I don't know if I should. If he does not love me back, our friendship could be ruined forever.

The other end was silent for a few minutes.

AwesomeMango: Are you there? Please, I need help.

SuperStar1: I think that if you truly love him you should tell him. It is not fair for either of you if you are miserable whenever you are around him.

AwesomeMango: You are right… but I am still scared.

SuperStar1: Mango, you are a beautiful, independent, amazing girl and if the Magician does not see that… you can easily find someone else.

AwesomeMango: Really?

SuperStar1: Really. Someone who loves you more than you could ever know. Someone more talented, handsomer, richer, more romantic than the Magician could ever be. Someone who could fly you to Paris whenever you wanted to, could give you beautiful clothes, make you a movie star or a singer. You could be one you know.

AwesomeMango: I could never be a singer, the spotlight is the last thing I need. But thank you, I'll keep that in mind. :) It makes me feel so happy to know that I have a friend that I can talk to about my problems and would be willing to go above and beyond to make me happy.

SuperStar1: That is me, your caring and above and beyond going friend.

AwesomeMango: I will go tell him right now. Thank you. Bye!

SuperStar1: Bye. Let me know what happens.

Mango exited the chat sight and sighed. Before she pushed herself away from the computer she deleted the history. She knew that it was good for the computer, but she also did not want Blythe to be too tempted to see what Mango had been doing. If people found out about the pet chat sight, who knows what could happen? Smiling and serene for a few moments, Mango thanked Blythe for letting her use the computer and walked into the dumbwaiter.

...

Shahrukh closed his laptop and glanced at the wall of his trailer. The walls were decorated with pictures of himself. In some of them he was smiling, in others he was giving the camera his best thinking look. A couple were merely posters from his many movies. They were large pictures that stretched far and were bigger than himself. He sighed and looked around the rest of his trailer. He had life size cardboard cut outs and awards. Fan mail was framed and placed on a large dresser on the far side of his trailer. His bed was covered with a bed spread adorned with his face. The pillows matched. Everything in his trailer had one thing in common, they all were related to himself in some way. Everything except for one small picture on the nightstand next to his bed.

He heaved himself off of his rolling chair and walked over to the nightstand. Picking up the small photograph, he let his eyes study it. Every line, every object, every single detail. It was a picture of him the day he had left the Littlest Pet Shop. None of the pet shop pets were in the picture, except one. He was giving the camera his best smile while he had one arm wrapped around his best friend. Mango was smiling with her mouth wide open. She always smiled that way in photos. When he had questioned her about it she had replied by saying it made her look happier. Closed mouth smiles always seemed forced when she tried them. Shahrukh giggled as he set the picture down. He had taken it 'selfie' style and had one arm stretched out of the frame because he was holding the camera.

She was the only pet depicted in the entire trailer that was not himself. That was because she was the only one who mattered. Mango and himself were the two most important pets in the whole world. Chuckling to himself, Shahrukh plopped himself down on his bed and picked up his novel. It was his autobiography. He did love reading about himself. Quickly, Shahrukh scribbled down a note before returning to his book. Mango would have to be added to the sequel.


	19. Chapter 19: Her Hero

Chapter 19: Her Hero

Sunil was pacing back and forth in front of the mirror. He knew he was not the best looking mongoose, in fact, he had seen many pets with better looks than himself. He was not athletic, dashing, or stunning in any way. But he had to try. Sunil stopped pacing and studied himself closer. Giving the mirror his best smile, he tried to seduce his reflection. It looked like he was grimacing in pain. Groaning, Sunil slapped a paw to his face. This was hopeless. No one would ever give him a second look unless it was to find out what was bothering him. He dropped to the ground like a sack and lay there.

In an attempt to be handsome he had put on a dark blue sweater and a red bow tie. Unfortunately, he did not know whether the outfit qualified as dashing. He had a very poor fashion sense and could never figure out what went well together. He always relied on someone else planning his attire. Blythe and Zoe were more interested in fashion so he let them handle it most of the time. Sunil preferred his magic. Magic was something that he was semi-good at, fashion was not. But unfortunately, he could not get a girlfriend with magic tricks. Girls liked boys who were handsome and romantic. Like a prince in a fairy tale, not some fool with a magic wand. Sunil scratched his back with one paw. The sweater was a little itchy. His scratching only seemed to make the itching worse. Soon he was attacking the itch with both paws, a look of extreme discomfort on his already nervous face. Finally the itch retreated. Pushing himself to his feet, Sunil sighed and glanced back at his reflection. With a sigh he removed his outfit, it would not do to have him scratching the whole time. He gave his reflection a nervous smile. That smile seemed more natural.

A small creak sounded from behind Sunil. Turning around quickly he saw Mango slipping out of the dumbwaiter. She was glancing from side to side as if she was trying to avoid being seen. Once she was satisfied that she would not be, she breathed a quick sigh of relief and continued moving forward. Quietly, she snuck away on the tips of her paws. Sunil's golden eyes followed her the entire way before he looked at the mirror for a final time. It was now or never. With a look of determination, he proceeded to follow Mango. On silent paws he scampered across the floor until he stopped only a few feet behind Mango. His lips were dry so he attempted to moisten them with his tongue. For some strange reason it did not work and he had to try harder to moisten his sandpaper lips. It took a few minutes to finish wetting his lips. Although the dryness _had_ been a discomfort, Sunil had the suspicion that he was merely stalling. Before he knew it, his knees were shaking. Sunil tried to still them with his hands but they were shaking as well. His head felt like it was filled with cotton and his heart was beating out of his chest. At that moment Sunil realized that his suspicions were correct. He was terrified of what he was about to do and was looking for any possible excuse not to do it. Clenching his paws, Sunil forced his body to be still. He had to make his move now. If he did not win her soon, Vinnie would.

In a burst of newfound energy, he leaped across the final few feet and grabbed Mango with his paws. She felt soft underneath them. Not wanting to get distracted from the task at hand, Sunil decided to do something unexpected. This would help him refocus and make her pay better attention. Quickly, he spun her around to face him. Her bright orange hair whipped in the air when she spun. Her eyes were disoriented as she gazed dizzily up at him. At that moment Sunil realized how hard he had spun her. Not wanting to appear rude, he stammered out an apology.

"M-M-Mango! I am sorry for twisting you, that is pulling you, that is sp-sp-spinning you around so forcefully!" He squeaked. It was his first sentence spoken to her and everything was already going wrong.

...

Mango slipped out of the dumbwaiter as quietly as she could. Her hair bobbed up and down as she glanced around the room. It was of the utmost importance that absolutely _no one_ see her leaving the dumbwaiter. She did not want to be bombarded with questions and apologies. Her mind was focused on one task only. She needed to find Sunil and tell him how she felt before her nerves failed her. Luckily, no one appeared to be paying any attention to her. In fact, she could not locate another pet in the entire room. Her mind was racing so fast and her eyes were moving even faster so it was highly possible that she had simply overlooked them. Not realizing this possibility, Mango assumed that she was safe. In her haste, she scampered across the room to find a secluded place in the Day Camp area. It felt like her mind was lost in a deep fog. If she was going to talk to Sunil she was going to have to have a plan. This needed to be handled as delicately as a porcelain doll. The last thing she wanted or needed was to run into Sunil before she was ready.

Without warning, she was roughly grabbed and spun around. Her mouth opened in outrage, but quickly shut when she saw who had done the grabbing. He was a tall, teal colored mongoose with golden eyes. His face was one that she had looked upon many times before, but it had never looked like this. Mango had accepted her feelings toward Sunil, she embraced them with open arms. Now that she realized how she felt, Mango allowed herself to be swept away by the sea of emotions. For the first time, Mango allowed her mind free range. Her eyes studied Sunil closely. Tracing his sleek figure, soaking in his bright colors, and drowning in the two golden pools called eyes. Mango had to fight hard to stop from being sucked into them. She had never allowed herself to realize exactly how attractive Sunil was. But she had to admit, he was the best looking pet she had ever seen, Shahrukh included. Blythe had mentioned many times that she thought Sunil and Shahrukh looked the same but Mango could not see how she could think that.

It was true that Shahrukh was an attractive looking pet. He had a bright smile, dazzling eyes, and was always well groomed. At times his presence was overwhelming. But that was actually the problem. Shahrukh was good looking in a way that made you stop and stare to make sure you were not just seeing things. It was nice when seen occasionally, but after a while you began to get used to the miracle and not question it at all. Sunil however, was a different kind of attractive. He was a warm, caring kind of attractive. His smile was comforting, he had warm eyes, and always had a nervous expression that Mango could not help but call cute. When you were near him you felt cared for and safe, he made you feel _good_. That kind of attractive never got old. Every time Mango was near him she was amazed at the effect he could have on her. Sometimes she wondered why no one else seemed to see it.

She came back to reality once she heard him speak. Sunil stammered out an apology. Mango barely heard a word of it. All she could hear was the beating of her own heart. It pounded louder and louder once she realized that Sunil had been holding her for a long time. Heat seemed to leak from where his paws touched her. Suddenly, her throat became as dry as sand paper. Mango resisted the urge to swallow.

With effort she spoke. "Sunil, what are you doing?"

Mango stared at Sunil's face for a few minutes. Her eyes were studying him carefully. She saw something in his eyes. It was something desperate and powerful. Like he wanted with every fiber of his being to do something but could not bring himself to do it. His golden eyes normally looked at her with such warmth and friendship, but now looked at her with something alien. Her body shivered as she felt his grip on her tighten. The warmth stopped flowing from his touch and the shivers began.

"Mango, you are…" Sunil began nervously.

...

"You are…" Sunil could not think of anything to say. Where was he even going with this? You are… nice, caring, smart, the girl of my dreams who I would love to become romantic partners with and who I think about even when I am not with her because she is absolutely perfect in every way? Sunil had to work hard to not grimace from the last compliment. If he was looking for a way to scare Mango away, he had definitely found one. If he told her that she would never go near him again.

He needed to think. He just needed some time to get his thoughts together. Unfortunately he did not have much time. Like a fool he had rushed in without a plan and now he was stuck holding Mango in his arms until he could think of something to say. Sunil searched for what felt natural in this situation. Magic always felt natural. Sunil wanted to pull out his wand and make a bouquet appear from thin air. A beautiful bouquet of the flowers he had given her the one time he had hurt her feelings. The ones that reminded him of her eyes. Then he would rain the petals down on her. Softly, they would float in the breeze. Gently showering down onto her. The petals would form a heart and he would…

 _No! Magic is not going to win Mango over. Females do not want males who do magic. They want someone romantic, smooth, dominant. Someone who can make their heart flutter and who can catch them when they swoon. They want to be wooed with style, not wands. I have to be someone else if I am going to win Mango. I need to be like someone from those movies the girls always watch. Someone like…_

Reaching a decision, Sunil decided to adopt a new personality. He was going to be someone smooth, someone with confidence, someone who could make Mango feel weak at the knees. The ideal mate. He would sweep Mango off of her feet if it was the last thing he did. Swallowing, Sunil tried to remember every romantic movie he had ever seen. It was hard because he did not watch that many. He preferred the movies where someone fell down a lot, those were always funny. After a few minutes he was finally able to choose a character. A romantic man that charmed the ladies and always knew what to say. All Sunil needed to do was become him and the battle would be won.

The male he wanted to be always had his eyelids lowered slightly. Sunil copied the look and arched his eyebrows. A flash of white revealed his smile, Sunil hoped that he looked more confident than he felt. It was the best imitation he could do of Shahrukh's smug expression. Carefully, he twirled Mango around once before dipping her. Keeping his face smug, he watched as her fur blew in the wind. Her hair nearly touched the ground when he dipped her. She stared up at him with a look of confusion. He did not blame her. Sunil the magician would never do something like this. He was too much of a coward to even attempt to twirl her, but the new Sunil was bold. Sunil tried to imagine himself as someone else to boost his confidence and give him the strength to talk. It was working. Clearing his throat, Sunil deepened his voice slightly and gave it a rough edge. It was the way all the action stars talked in the movies. It made him feel strong and dangerous.

"You are a beautiful woman." Sunil said softly. He wanted her to have to strain to hear, he wanted her to wonder if she was hearing him right, that way the reality could sink in slowly. He twirled her around once more and dipped her to the other side. He loved to twirl her. It made him feel like he was dancing with her even though he barely moved. The movement of her fur in the wind was magical. Sunil longed badly to tell her that. Instead he found himself saying. "Gorgeous. What I wouldn't give to stroke your soft fur."

As Sunil said this he reached out the arm that was not supporting her and lightly brushed her cheek. It was softer than he thought and his paw was covered by her fur for a moment before he lifted it out. He felt her entire body shiver as his paw brushed her. Assuming that was a good sign, he continued the act.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are the most beautiful girl in the world?" Sunil said as he flashed a smile. He hoped it was a winning smile.

"Sunil…" Mango tried to interrupt.

Quickly Sunil pressed a finger to her lips before she could say another word. He was worried that if he heard her voice his nerve would fail him and he would get shaky again. In an attempt to cover up his moment of panic, Sunil brushed her again. "Don't speak. I just want to look at you." To try to show that his last statement was indeed true, Sunil began to study her with his eyes. It was partially true, he had never gotten the chance to look at her seriously before. She was always a friend to him and he had never stopped to consider how attractive she was. Now he finally had the chance to look at her differently. Sunil marveled at how soft her fur looked. It was a bright color that soothed his eyes, her markings blended perfectly from one color to another. He gazed a moment at her playful curl of hair. How he loved that curl. He felt his face heat up as he realized how slender she was. Her long shapely paws caught his attention for a moment before it was taken by her large tail. Sunil had never realized how her eyelashes fluttered in the air. His eyes slowly roamed down her body, then back up. He could not help but do this a few more times before stopping at her eyes. He noticed a red tint to her face and guessed that his must be a similar shade.

"You are blushing. Surely you must be used to this kind of attention." Sunil lifted her up until she was pressed against his body. He had one paw supporting her head and the other placed on her back. Her bright orange fur mingled with his light teal hairs. He could smell the scent of Mangos softly. Sunil breathed it in deeply. "You better get used to it because I'm not going to stop. For the rest of my life I will be saying how beautiful you are. For the rest of my life I want you there with me so I can tell you. It only makes sense that a rare beauty like you have someone to appreciate you. I appreciate you more than anyone else in the entire world. I will prove it to you right now."

On impulse he gently began to push Mango's face toward his. Sunil's mind was racing as he tried to stay in character. He could not be a coward now. He had to stay the ideal mate. All he needed to do was stay in character for a few more seconds. His face threatened to blush the shade of fire but he did not let it. Romantic men did not blush. Her lips were almost on his. Just a few more inches and she would be his forever. It was that way in all of the movies. The hero would kiss the beautiful girl and she would be his forever. The hero did not blush and neither would he. Sunil closed his eyes, she was almost there.

Sunil was suddenly thrust backward onto his rear end. He bounced a few inches backward because of the force of the shove. With surprise he looked up to see Mango standing on her four paws. Mango stood a foot away from him. It took him a moment to comprehend how she could have went from being in his arms to being over there so quickly. She glared angrily down at him, her eyes were like blazing fires. His heart sunk as he studied her expression. There was not a hint of love anywhere on it. He noticed that her hair was messy because of the many times he had spun her around. He had not meant to do that, he had only wanted to see it blow in the wind. Mango calmly began to smooth out her hair so it would regain it's soft appearance. She did not look at Sunil while she did this or acknowledge his presence in any way. This scared Sunil the most. It was as if he was not even there. He was supposed to be there. The romantic male was always there to sweep the female off of her feet. She never ignored him in the movies, so why was Mango ignoring his very existence now? Once Mango finished smoothing herself out she looked at Sunil with a flat look. Her voice was equally flat as she asked. "What was that?"

...

Sunil's nervous expression began to fade. He lowered his eyelids, arched his eyebrows, and flashed her a smile. He looked like he was trying to copy the expression Shahrukh got whenever he was trying to seduce a girl. Shahrukh had donned that expression when he had tried to kiss Mango, she had never seen anything remotely like it on Sunil before. It both confused and scared her at the same time. Before she could reflect on it any more, Mango got twirled around against her will. She was dipped close enough to the ground for her hair to brush against it. Sunil then began to compliment her. She wondered for a moment why his voice sounded deeper than usual. At first she thought he had caught a cold, then she realized that he was attempted to give himself a more masculine voice. Mango could not understand why he would want to change his voice. It was already soft and gentle, now he sounded like he had something stuck in his throat.

"You are a beautiful woman." He said softly.

Mango had to strain to hear what was being said, but once she figured out what it was, she wished she hadn't. Her face threatened to burst into flame. Mango's heart began to flutter uncontrollably. It was not because the constant string of compliments was pleasing her however, it was because she had been twirled around yet again. Her mind was spinning so fast that she did not even know what Sunil had said until he rubbed a paw against her cheek. Mango shivered involuntarily. The touch from his paw tickled her. She wanted to burst out laughing but couldn't, he would think she was laughing at… whatever it was he was doing.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are the most beautiful girl in the world?" Sunil said while flashing her another one of those phony smiles.

This was going too far. If Sunil had something to say, he could say it without holding her. "Sunil…" Mango began to speak once the room stopped spinning.

She was stopped however by Sunil's finger on her lips. Mango wanted to bristle at the indignity of the situation. Sunil had never been this rude before. It was as if what she wanted to say didn't matter. Mango wanted to rip herself out of Sunil's arms right then and there, she wanted to tell him that she was not something he could make quiet whenever he wanted to, and that she had something important to tell him. Mango decided she still would tell him. It was not right to throw away everything just because Sunil wanted to be a heartthrob for a moment. Once she told him everything, he would snap out of it. Mango prepared to open her mouth. Scolding would come first. She stopped however when she noticed how he was looking at her. His eyes were intensely studying her body. They roamed from her hair, to her legs, to her tail, completing a thorough examination. Mango felt her face blush the shade of roses as he stopped at her eyes. He was gazing at her with such warmth, it was as if the real Sunil was fighting against this imposter to come through. She wanted the real Sunil.

Her mind was numb with thoughts of running and thoughts of wanting Sunil to be himself again. Nothing came through to her. She only dully realized that Sunil was speaking again. Mango did not really care what was being said. It was all nonsense and flattery. Her ears perked a moment when she was pulled against him. She could feel his soft, teal hairs. Mango's face threatened to blush an even brighter shade. He was so warm. She wanted to bury her face in his furry chest and tell him everything. But she knew she couldn't. This wasn't the real Sunil. All she could do was wait to see what he would do next.

She heard him speak. "You better get used to it because I'm not going to stop. For the rest of my life I will be saying how beautiful you are. For the rest of my life I want you there with me so I can tell you. It only makes sense that a rare beauty like you have someone to appreciate you. I appreciate you more than anyone else in the entire world. I will prove it to you right now."

 _He appreciates me. He_ appreciates _me? I was about to tell him that I love him and he tells me that he_ appreciates _me?_ Mango thought furiously.

Imminently, the fire of her stubborn streak ignited. Mango did not feel like a single compliment he had said was genuine. Sunil had never once mentioned their relationship directly. He had never said how he felt when he was with her, or how her mind stimulated his. All he had cared about was her physical appearance. He had quieted her with his finger so he could stare at her. That was what hurt Mango most of all. Sunil had always said that he loved it when she talked. That he would always want to hear her thoughts and opinions. Sunil said that he was glad she was not afraid to speak out when she was with him. It was never easy to speak to others, but she had always thought she could speak to him.

Mango realized that he held her like she belonged to him. Like she was his prize. His possession. His _property_! A growl threatened to escape her throat. Her eyes were as cold as flint and her heart was ignited like the fire that came from them. This was the most humiliating thing she had ever had happen to her. Never before had she been degraded so much. No one had ever treated her like she was worth so little!

 _Sunil is treating me like some female he owns. Like I am simply here for him to cuddle with and admire. Like I don't have any thoughts of my own. Like… like… like I don't matter!_

Her mind raced as she became more and more infuriated with the indignity of what was happening to her. She had to release all the anger before it exploded uncontrollably. Her mind raced to find some way to dispose of all her passionate emotions without doing something she would regret later. Unfortunately, before she could find a positive outlet for her energy Sunil did something that pushed all rational thoughts from her mind. Her head was slowly being pushed upward toward Sunil's. Mango's mind raced as she tried to figure out what he was trying to accomplish. Suddenly it hit her like a bolt of lightning. Sunil, her very best friend, was trying to kiss her. He was trying to kiss her without asking first. Sunil was assuming that she wanted to be kissed even though she had not said or done anything to make him think that. Mango's fur fluffed up from the pure anger she felt. He was trying to take her first kiss. It was not going to happen, not like this. Before she knew what was happening, her paws lashed out at Sunil and knocked him backward. He tumbled onto his rear end and stared up at her in surprise. Mango only had a few moments to regret her decision, she soon realized that Sunil was not injured in any physical way. Only his pride. Mango resisted the urge to smile at the startled expression on his previously smug face.

 _My hair is a mess._ Mango began to smooth out her ruffled hair. It was an attempt to try and distract herself from the scene that had just played out. Mango knew this in the back of her mind, but she refused to admit it. Time to think was what she needed and fixing her messy hair seemed to give it to her. She refused to acknowledge that Sunil was there as she smoothed out her disgruntled fur. He did not deserve her attention and she was not in the mood to give him any. Her chest puffed in and out quickly as she ran her paws through the tangles in her curl.

Her hair was immaculate much too soon. It shone in the light and bounced when she turned her head. That was one of the problems with having conditioner and shampoo together in one bottle. Mango could not make her hair stay messy if she twirled around for hours. She found herself with nothing else to distract herself with. Mango could not stall any longer. With a sigh of defeat, she turned to Sunil to address the issue he had created with his Shahrukh impersonation. Mango still could not understand why Sunil would try and change himself in any way. She liked him for him, loved him actually, and he was too stubborn or too blind to see it. Maybe both. Mango knew what the real problem was. He did not think he was good enough and he wanted desperately to change who he was for her. That was what bothered Mango most of all. If he wanted to change for her, was she giving him the wrong impression? Did he think that he was not good enough because of something she did or said? Was it because of _her_?

"What was that?" She asked bluntly. She knew what it was. It was a grotesque display of a male acting like an idiotic, egotistical fool. It was also a display of someone trying to change who they were. But she wanted to know what Sunil thought it was. Mango only hoped it was the idiotic display and not something deeper. She hated when she caused grief for others. Especially those she cared about.

 _That is why it is better to just blend into the background. In the background you can't affect anyone. If you don't affect anyone, you can't hurt anyone._ Mango thought with a sudden flash of guilt. This was all her fault. She knew it was. Hiding her grief in anger, she glared at Sunil. But the entire time she felt like she was beaten eaten alive by the guilt inside of her.

"I was just trying to tell you how pretty you are…" Sunil's voice trailed off as he stared into her smoldering eyes. She could tell that he was ashamed. She was too, but she dared not show it. If she let her anger go she would be overcome with the desire to fling herself in his arms and forget all the pain. It would not be fair to him or herself. Mango needed to know if she was hurting him. She couldn't go on hurting him.

"You did. Many times." She kept her comments short and to the point. If they were any longer her voice would have cracked with the stress of keeping her tears inside.

"I am sorry. I didn't know how else to tell you." Sunil said softly.

"Tell me what?" Mango's voice softens despite her efforts at keeping it hard. She could not force herself to be angry at him. A tiny voice in the back of her mind told her to stay mad. If she was mad, no other emotions could cloud her mind. She would not feel the guilt, the worry, the insecurity. She was always feeling the insecurity. Mango was tired of not knowing whether she was doing the right thing. For once in her life she wanted to jump in without wondering if she was going to cause a mess. But she couldn't, not with something as important as this.

"I can't tell you." Sunil said as he shut his eyes and turned his head away. He was no longer the brave hero and he no longer was able to get the girl.

"Fine." Mango said with a grimace. If he could not say it, he was not sure. If he was not sure, he did not feel it. She had been wrong. Like always, she had been about to do the wrong thing and cause a huge mess for everyone. Mango belittled herself for not knowing better. She should have known better.

Mango briskly turned around and began to walk away from the blue mongoose. She feared that if she did not leave at that moment she would tell him anyway. In some blind grab at love, she would tell him and put everything she cared about in jeopardy. Her friendship would be over because she was foolish enough to think that he loved her. To think that his change in behavior was because he was nervous when he was around her.

 _I should have known better. He wouldn't change who he was because of me. I can't stimulate that kind of reaction in someone. Why would anyone think that they had to change to be good enough for me? I was such a fool. If anyone should change it should be me. I should get smarter and stop ruining everything like a fool that runs into things blindly. It is better to not change anything._ But Mango knew that things had changed forever. Whether she wanted them to or not, she would never feel the same around Sunil.

"I love you."

Mango stopped suddenly. Her heart raced like a thousand horses. She slowly turned to see if he was the one who had spoken. _He_ was standing there. Light seemed to shine from all around him. Her eyes were blinded by what she saw in front of her. He was staring directly into her bright eyes. His mouth was set in a straight line and his face was the embodiment of determination. Puffing out his chest, Sunil held his arms to his sides. Like a knight standing at attention. That was what he was in Mango's eyes. She had never seen someone look as heroic as he did. Slowly, Sunil donned his magicians hat. It was a small gesture, only the movement of his arm to his head before returning to his side, but it signified much more. He was showing her that he was a magician. _Her_ magician. No longer was he a hero from the movies. He was a hero in his own way. Mango stared at those glittering, golden eyes. Her mouth formed a small smile.

...

The mongoose was standing tall and proud. Taller than he had ever stood before and with more confidence than he had ever had in his entire life. He chastised himself in his mind for the foolish thing he had done only a few short moments ago. Sunil had tried to change himself in order to impress the girl he loved. But he had fallen in love with her _because_ she enjoyed who he was. It was all so simple when he thought about it. The moments he had spent with her had been amazing, and they all had to do when he was simply showing her what he loved. Mango enjoyed his magic, she enjoyed the way he talked, and she did not tease him when he got scared. Originally, Sunil had thought that he fell in love with her because of her characteristics, and that was partially true, but he had really fell in love with her because she liked _his_ characteristics. If he was going to be with her, he could not change. After all, he could not play the hero forever. Not the kind in the movies anyway. He was going to have to be a special kind of hero, Mango's hero. That was a part he could play forever.


	20. Chapter 20: Her Dancer

Chapter 20: Her Dancer

Vinnie was warming up. He did a few jumping jacks, sit ups, and push ups. He needed to have his muscles all limbered up. If he was going to seduce Mango he was going to have to give the _best_ performance ever. The kind of performance that made pets rise up out of their seats and applaud. The kind of performance that would make Mango completely forget about Sunil and run to him instead. Vinnie frowned for a moment as a rush of guilt passed over him. That thought was harsher than he had meant it to be. Vinnie began to wonder whether he should go to Sunil and apologize. The memory of the conversation he had with Sunil brought back bitter emotions. Jealousy burned inside of him as he continued to exercise. Nothing could go wrong. If nothing went wrong, Mango would _have_ to be his. Clearing his throat, Vinnie went out to search for her.

He crawled all around the Day Camp area in search of his lady. None of the other pets could be seen anywhere. Vinnie shrugged and continued looking. If no one else was around Mango, she would feel more comfortable opening up to him. Vinnie knew crowds made Mango nervous. His patience began to wear thin, it frayed like an old rope and threatened to snap. His crawling turned frantic. Soon he was zipping all over the Day Camp area, covering the length of one wall in mere seconds. He was nothing but a green blur that breezed past an object before it was out of sight. He raced past an orange blur before stopping. Vinnie's violet eyes opened wide as he turned his head backward to get a better look at what he had passed. It was a very happy looking Mango, walking past a dreamy eyed Sunil

Vinnie watched the scene before him warily. It was not a good sign. If Sunil had already told Mango how he felt, everything could be ruined. Mango was sure to return his feelings and if Vinnie said anything he would look like a complete jerk. Mango was sure to think that Vinnie was going behind Sunil's back on purpose. Vinnie tried to calm himself down before he got to frantic. There was no reason to think that Mango would assume that. She would understand that his feelings were real and just have to realize that _two_ pets loved her. Then she would chose who she liked better. Vinnie was determined to make sure it was him. Maybe Sunil had not even said anything to her. He could simply be looking at her with adoration like he normally did. Mango was usually in a happy mood, they might have not even spoken with each other. Holding onto his small shred of hope, Vinnie walked over to Mango.

As he approached Mango he made sure to puff out his chest. He flexed his reptilian arms as he walked, hoping to get Mango's attention. The attempt failed however, and Mango continued to stare into the air. She had a far off look as if something was occupying all of her thoughts. Vinnie frowned. Maybe _someone_ was taking up all of Mango's attention. He was only a foot away from her and she did not even notice that he was there.

 _She will soon enough._ Vinnie thought as he began to dance.

He twirled around in circles around Mango. Spinning and spinning like a top, the world became nothing but a blur as he raced around Mango. Catching only brief glimpses of her face, he could not be sure whether she was smiling or not. Deciding to enter the next phase in his plan, he grabbed her paw and began to make her spin along with him. The Day Camp area was a colorful smudge in the background and Mango's face was crystal clear in front of him. Like two graceful birds, they flew through the air in circles. Around and around they spun until the world consisted of nothing but themselves and the wind. Vinnie smiled at the joyous face of Mango. It was clear that she was surprised but having fun at the same time.

Deciding to end the spinning, Vinnie twirled Mango closer to him and began to ballroom dance. He remembered how much fun she had when they had danced together before and was hoping to spark those old memories. If she could remember how she had felt then, she might realize that she felt something more. He made sure to keep his feet staggered so he would not step on her paws. Mango seemed to remember the dance too because she was able to glide across the floor without having to watch her paws. Soon she was smiling as big as he was. Her eyes closed for a moment as she savored the movement. Vinnie did not need to close his eyes. It was not the dance he was savoring, it was the serene look on Mango's face. Mango soon opened her eyes once she had savored enough. They shone big and bright. Like two bright suns shining in the sky. Mango smiled at him as she continued to dance.

Vinnie smiled back with glee. This was going perfectly. Now he just had to make his move. Dipping Mango backward, Vinnie stopped once her hair was almost touching the ground. She lay there for a few moment, still as a statue. She trusted Vinnie and knew that he would not let her fall. Mango angled her head upward after a few minutes to look at Vinnie's face. Her smile did not fade but a glint of curiosity shone in her eyes. Vinnie stared at her eyes before speaking.

"Mango, I have something to tell you." Vinnie stopped for a few minutes as his throat went dry. He coughed a few times in an attempt to clear away the sandpaper feeling in the back of his throat. After that did not work he continued to talk through the pain.

"I um… that is I… you are… I mean…" Vinnie stammered. He wanted to close his eyes and disappear. This was supposed to be his statement of love. It needed to be perfect. Here he was stammering away like a fool in front of her. He felt something warm touch his arm. Vinnie had retreated into his thoughts and had not even realized that he was still holding Mango. She was looking up at him now with a face full of concern. She smiled softly as she held her paw on his arm. Even though she had not said anything, Vinnie knew that she was telling him it was all right. That gave him the strength to continue.

"Mango I think you are hot. I mean, beautiful. Yes, and amazing and awesome and smart and funny and… and… and I love you!" Vinnie yelled out his final three words before gently setting Mango onto the ground. He stood there for a few moments, waiting for her reaction. She simply sat there staring at him in shock. That was not what he had been hoping for.

He soon got his reply as she asked softly. "What?"

"I love you." Vinnie replied with a smile. He assumed that Mango had just not heard him the first time. "So, do you love me back?"

"Vinnie, I… um…" Mango trailed off. Her mind was racing. She had to try and find a way out of this. Never had she expected to hear those three words from Vinnie. The timing could not have been worse. Sunil had already told her how he felt… and she had returned those feelings. Mango blissfully remembered how Sunil had looked when she had slowly walked to him. Once she was only a few inches away, his resolve had broken and he was a shivering mess. No longer did he hold his head high. That had only made Mango's feelings stronger. With a laugh she had embraced Sunil and burrowed her face into the soft hair of his shoulder. Mango remembered the feeling of his touch as he had hugged her back. She had whispered in his ear three words that she had longed to for so long without even realizing it.

"Mango, I know Sunil loves you too."

Mango snapped back into reality. Her fur fluffed in fear slightly. "You do?"

Vinnie looked defeated. He stared at the floor, downcast. "Yes. You love him too. Much more than you could ever love me."

"Vinnie, please stop." Mango hated this. She did not know how to react, what to say, or even how to feel. She didn't want to hurt him, but she was and she knew she was. "I didn't even know you felt this way."

Vinnie turned his head so she wouldn't see the wetness in his eyes. Mango approached him quietly and spoke softly. "I had no idea. You were always there for me. You were always so cheerful. I didn't realize that you were hurting inside. You are one of my closest friends. I should have realized. But I didn't even know I could love, or want to love anybody. How could I see it in you when I didn't even see it in myself? I'm so sorry."

Mango watched in sadness as Vinnie turned his head toward her. She saw hurt in his big, violet eyes. She saw herself reflected in them. Mango did not see anything worth loving. Why would anyone want her? The Mango in Vinnie's eyes frowned back at her with shame.

 _I knew I was going to hurt someone. Just not that it would be him._ Mango thought as she tore her gaze away from her reflection.

"How long?" She knew she would regret asking that, but she did it anyway.

"I think since I first saw you. I didn't know it then. I do now." Vinnie was staring intensely at her. As if he was hoping she would change her mind if he stayed. Mango knew that she couldn't. It wouldn't be fair to Vinnie or to herself… or Sunil.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Mango got up onto all four paws. She stared at the ground as she spoke. "I am so sorry Vinnie. I knew that I was going to end up hurting someone but I had no idea it was going to be you." She turned her face away so she wouldn't have to see his. "I can't love you Vinnie. Not the way you want, not the way you deserve to be loved. But I can promise you that I won't love Sunil either."

Vinnie stared at Mango in shock. He had no idea what she was doing but he could see that it was hurting her deeply. She swallowed the pain however, and continued to talk to him. Not once did she turn to look at him. Mango was worried that if she saw the friend she cared about so much, she would lose her courage and stop talking. What she was saying needed to be said and she was determined not to stop until he understood why she was doing what she was. It was going to help everyone. Mango was sure of it. At least, she thought she was.

"I can't be the thing that drives you two apart." Mango sighed deeply. Her voice became softer, as if she was talking to herself and not Vinnie. "I should have seen the signs. I think I did but I just didn't want to admit it to myself. Ever since I came, you two have had no chance to be together. I keep getting in the way and now I am getting in the way again. I _always_ get in the way."

She closed her eyes so she would be surrounded by nothing but the dark. There was no one else. Only herself and the words that came tumbling from her mouth. "I am the third wheel."

"Mango…" Vinnie began. He had to stop her. He did not know why, only that if she continued to talk something bad was going to happen.

"Tell Sunil that I can't destroy your relationship with him just so mine can get stronger. Tell him that he will find someone better than me. Someone that won't mess up everything she does. Tell him…" Mango swallowed slowly. "tell him that it was my idea and that you never got the chance to tell me how you felt."

"But Mango, Sunil will be really upset with you. He might not speak to you ever again!" Vinnie cried out in protest. He couldn't let Mango do this. She was throwing away her entire relationship with Sunil and maybe even her own happiness. Guilt seemed to be devouring Vinnie from the inside. He couldn't help but feel that it was all his fault. If he had only kept his mouth shut. Vinnie felt like slapping his hand onto his face. He was supposed to be Sunil's best friend and he had tried to steal Sunil's love away from him. Vinnie had suspected that Sunil had already told her. He should have been a better friend.

 _I knew how Mango would react. I knew that Sunil told her already. I knew that she loved Sunil more. I knew, I knew, I_ knew _!_ Vinnie thought with a mix of anger and shame.

"I know, but if I got between you two I would be really upset with myself." Mango sniffed as water began to fill her eyes. The happiest day of her life had turned into the worst. It seemed only fair that she be the one to suffer for her mistake. "Vinnie, you deserve better than me. You both do. Someday you will find your true love and when you do I hope that the dance you have with her is even more magical than the one you had with me."

With a sad smile, Mango scampered off into the distance. She left a trail of teardrops behind her. Glittering on the ground, they soon vanished as well. Vinnie could only watch her leave. He was in shock. He had managed not only to lose Mango for himself, but he had caused Sunil to lose her too. Vinnie struggled internally. It was wrong to lie to Sunil and make him despise Mango for no reason. If Sunil did hear the lie and didn't despise Mango, if he went to talk to her, she would be forced to lie to him. That would ruin her. Vinnie could throw himself at Sunil's mercy, but that didn't help anyone. Mango still would force herself to stay away from Sunil and Sunil would hate Vinnie. Groaning, Vinnie sat down. He was trapped.

...

Mango ran away from him as fast as she could. She ran away from the pain, from the heartache, from the loss, but it all followed her. Every step she took brought her emotions two steps closer to her. Desperate for a place to take shelter in she passed the Day Camp doors and entered the Pet Shop. Crawling underneath one of the shelves, she shivered in the darkness. Small whimpers escaped from her mouth but she silenced them quickly. She had lost them. Her magician _and_ her dancer. Now she was alone… again.


	21. Chapter 21: An Idea

Chapter 21: An Idea

Russell was pacing Blythe's room frantically. She was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed she was with her friends. But he knew she wouldn't mind. All of the pets had gone up there after the incident to give Mango and Sunil some privacy and to come up with a plan to fix everything. Vinnie was also not present, but the reason for that was obvious. Russell was on one side of the room while the girls were huddled up on the other side making their own plan. Russell snorted and continued his pacing. His clipboard was held in one paw and his pencil in the other. Tapping his chin, he jerked the clipboard toward his face and began to write on it. His face had an intense expression as he finished writing down his final word. Smiling with satisfaction, Russell turned to glance at the other pets in the room. They were still huddled up in a circle on the other side of the room and were whispering frantically. Russell smiled. He knew that whatever they came up with would not be nearly as good as his plan. In the end, _he_ would be the one to fix the problem with Mango and Sunil. Then he would have to find a way to gently tell Vinnie that Mango did not see him as a possible love interest.

Russell frowned. It was obvious that Mango liked Sunil as more than a friend. Obvious to everyone except those two. Unfortunately, it was also obvious that Vinnie had feelings for Mango. It was obvious in the goofy grin he had around her, the way he stammered nervously if she got too close, and the way he snuck uncomfortable glances at Sunil when they were all hanging out together. Vinnie liked Mango, Mango liked Sunil, Sunil liked Mango, and they were all friends. It was a love triangle unlike any other Russell had seen before. It was going to be hard, but he thought he could fix everything without it getting too complicated or messy. Releasing the breath he had not even known he was holding, Russell looked at his clipboard again.

A purple paw pushed the clipboard away from his face as he was reading the seventh step in his thirty step plan. Glaring at the dog in front of him, Russell sighed and placed his free paw on his face. "What is it Zoe?" He groaned slightly as he said her name.

"Russell, darling, I just wanted to let you know that we have a plan to fix Mango and Sunil so you will not be needed. So sorry." Zoe smiled sweetly as she said this but her eyes gleamed with pleasure at excluding Russell from helping.

"Actually, I already have a plan figured out so _you_ will be the one that I have no need for. So sorry." Russell replied as he lifted her paw off of his clipboard and dropped it to the floor. He smiled smugly at the angry expression on Zoe's face. He really did love to get under her skin sometimes. It was always fun because she was always doing something to deserve it.

"Russell, I already told you. _We_ have it covered." Zoe said as she leaned closer to Russell's face. Her eyes glittered.

"I already told you that I have a plan for this situation. Thank you for trying to help but I don't need any." Russell said smoothly. He brought the clipboard back up to his face to block out Zoe's. His clipboard was soon grabbed by her however, and hurled across the room. Russell glared at Zoe before walking toward the clipboard that was now on the other side of the room.

Smiling, Zoe jumping in front of Russell and blocked his path. Every step he made she copied. It was as if Russell was trying to get past a mirror image of himself. Zoe's smile turned into a smirk as she began to get better and better at anticipating his every move. Russell really was quite dull. He couldn't do anything spontaneous to throw off his pattern. It was always the same moves every single time. Zoe began to feel an opportunity arise. After a few minutes she was not only blocking him, but _mocking_ him at the same time. She began to fluff her ears as if she was not even paying attention to him. Yes, it was so easy to block Russell that she had decided to tidy herself up while doing it. What a bore. Peeking at him from the corner of her eyes, she could see him get more and more frustrated by the minute. Each block made his face turn redder than an apple.

"Zoe! Will you stop acting like such a child?" Russell exclaimed as he stopped his approach to the clipboard.

"Me? You need to stop acting like such a control freak and let me solve this problem! For once in you life, let someone else handle things!" Zoe yelled out as her temper flared.

"I will let other people handle things when they can handle them better than me!"

"First of all, other pets. You are a _petI_! Not a _person_!" Zoe brought her face closer to Russell's so her voice would be louder to him. The fact that he was a pet was a sore spot with him. Most of the pets had a sense that Russell wanted to be more than just a hedgehog.

"I know that!" Russell's face clouded over for a brief moment before it flared up in anger again. "I also know that you started this whole mess!"

Zoe couldn't keep it in any longer. She was going to show Russell that it was all his fault. But she was going to show him, _her_ way. Striking a pose, she began her song.

I think I Got You Beat (Shrek the Musical) _**Zoe**_ Russell (Both)

 _ **Started this mess**_

 _ **Are you crazy?**_

 _ **You're the one who faiiiiiiiiiiiiiiled baby**_

 _ **Now I have to**_

 _ **Fix your problem**_

 _ **If you had only**_

 _ **Not stuck your nose in**_

 _ **Thanks a lot**_

 _ **I had a plan**_

 _ **and you did not**_

 _ **And you just had to come and spoil it**_

 _ **Should've know you'd come and soil it**_

 _ **Sunil and Mango on a beach**_

 _ **Both within an arms reach**_

 _ **Palm trees from above**_

 _ **Confessing their love**_

 _ **For too long they've been scared**_

 _ **But I was prepared**_

 _ **Should have known you'd come and blow it**_

 _ **But you don't even know it**_

 _ **So…**_

 _ **It's your fault**_

 _ **It is your fault**_

 _ **Your**_

 _ **Your**_

 _ **Fauuuuuult!**_

 _ **It's your fault**_

 _ **It's your fault**_

Russell was not surprised that Zoe had begun to sing. He was more concerned about the words of her song. She was trying to blame the entire mess on him! As if she was not the one who had put Mango and Sunil in that horrible situation in the first place. Suddenly, Russell got an idea. He smiled as Zoe opened her mouth to begin singing again. Two could play that game.

Oh, is that true?

Those were good points but…

You forget some

important things

Now it's my turn

Prepare for stings

To bad your plan had to fail

Time to wail

But you forget that Sunil and Mango

are never going to tango

Your plan was lame

Before I even came

One is scared and one is shy

Your plan won't make their love fly

Put a spotlight on them they won't hug

All you were missing was some bugs

So…

It's your fault

It's your fault

Your

Your

Your

Fauuuuuult!

It's your fault

It's your fault

Zoe's eyes opened wide as she realized what he was doing. Not only was he blaming her for Sunil and Mango. He was going to copy her idea and sing as well. He wasn't doing it because he enjoyed singing or because it felt right. Russell was mocking her! Glaring, Zoe decided to sing her heart out. She was going to sing like she had never sung before.

 _ **They need romaaaaaance!**_

Not a chaaaaaance!

 _ **What they need**_

Is time alone, aloooooone

 _ **Ok, what about this?**_

 _ **A candle light meal**_

Won't make them feel

anything new

Dancing won't work too

 _ **It might fan the flames**_

 _ **Ha ha**_

 _ **Not stuck your nose in**_

 _ **Thanks a lot**_

Not a chaaaaaance!

 _ **And you just had to come and spoil it**_

 _ **Should've know you'd come and soil it**_

They won't daaaaaance!

 _ **Should've know you'd come and soil it**_

 _ **Sunil and Mango on a beach**_

What they need

Is time alone, aloooooone

 _ **For too long they been scared**_

 _ **But I was prepared**_

Won't make them feel

anything new

Dancing won't work too

 _ **For too long**_

A candle light meal

(We need to find a way!)

As Russell and Zoe sang this last part of the song together they stared into each other's eyes. Russell's lime green eyes were full of concern for both of his friends. Sunil was one of his guy friends and he had known him for a long time. Then there was Mango. Although she had not been his friend for as long as Sunil, she was still just as close. He had helped her with so many problems before this and the bond between them was strong. She never tried to prank him or made fun of him because of his clipboard or excessive neatness. No, she admired what made him unique and relished the advice he gave.

He had to help her. He had to help _them_.

 _And Zoe has to help me._ Russell thought with a grimace. If he was going to fix things, he was going to need help. Sighing in resignation, he held out a paw to the purple dog in front of him. She seemed surprised at first. Then her expression slowly turned into one of understanding. With a grim look as well, she grabbed Russell's paw and proceeded to shake it slowly. They were both trying to accomplish the same thing. Now they just needed to find a way to accomplish it together. Like two gears in the same machine, they both had to play their part for the plan to work.

"Alright, I have a plan already devised. It will take around a week and is comprised of thirty steps. But if we _really_ want Mango and Sunil to be happy, I suggest adding five more. Just to be safe." Russell said with a confident smile. He waited to see Zoe's reaction. His eyes opened wider as he realized that her smile was not out of admiration, but out of sheer mirth.

"Russell, _thirty_ steps? You can't be serious! That is way to long. We need to fix them now and I have just the right plan. All we need is for Sunil to sing a heartfelt song to Mango and everything will be fixed. Flowers, music, candles, romance!" Zoe sighed as she got lost in the fantasy she had prepared for Mango. She would never say no to such a romantic gesture, what girl possibly could?

"Zoe, romance is what got us in this mess in the first place. No, what we need is carefully placed hints and nudges designed to slowly bring those two back into the friend status. Then we can begin plan two and get them together in a relationship." Russell dismissed Zoe's idea with a wave of his paw.

"I should have expected this! Russell always knows what to do and no one else has any ideas at all! We all are so lucky to have _Russell_ in our lives!" Zoe yelled out with scorn. Her eyes were like embers that had just burst aflame. Light blue pools of anger.

"Oh, so I always take charge huh? Maybe if someone else would come up with a better plan I wouldn't have to take charge so often!" Russell yelled back with an equal amount of fury.

A timid panda lightly stepped up to the bickering pair. She licked her lips nervously and shuffled on her feet. While Russell and Zoe had been arguing she had been quietly thinking over in a corner. She had been facing the wall so she would not have to see them argue. Her mind had wandered to that fact that the plan would come along a lot smoother if they would simply debate their ideas instead of yell at each other. That was when the idea had come to her. She knew that Mango and Sunil were the obvious choice to go together. Especially after that touching talk she had had with Mango about love. But it also seemed wrong to not give Vinnie a shot a true love. Penny Ling had made the discovery that Vinnie had feelings for Mango as she stared at the wall. It was obvious now that she thought back. He deserved a chance and Mango deserved to be able to choose without feeling guilty. A plan had begun to form in her mind. One that would make everyone happy. If only she could tell it to them.

Her big, round purple eyes darted back and forth between her two friends. She wasn't sure who to tell. Zoe was very nice to her, sometimes, but she was also very headstrong and controlling. Russell was more of a listener, but he had a tendency to take others plans and make them his own. Sighing, she decided to just tell them both at the same time. Clearing her throat quietly, she tried to intervene.

"I have an idea." Penny Ling said quietly.

"You always have to be in charge! No one else can help!" Zoe yelled out into Russell's face.

"Well when you have an idea that doesn't cause another problem, come to me!" Russell yelled back.

"I have an idea." Penny Ling said a little louder.

"I have ideas! Lots of ideas! I can just never tell them to you!" Zoe growled.

"If you had an idea it would either be about fashion or your singing career!" Russell hissed.

"I HAVE AN IDEA!"

Both pets turned in surprise to the source of the scream. It was none other than Penny Ling. The sweetest, quietest panda in the entire world. She had a pout on her face as she looked at her two friends. Her arms were crossed and her little foot tapped the ground impatiently. Her face was tinted a bright red from both anger and embarrassment. She had meant to get their attention but she had not meant to yell _that_ loud. After a few moments of awkward silence, Penny Ling sighed softly and began to explain her plan. While she told it to Russell and Zoe she made sure to keep her attention on their expressions to see what they thought of it. Russell seemed a little embarrassed that he did not think of it himself. Zoe however ,seemed disappointed that the plan did not include dancing or music. Penny Ling saw Zoe's mouth move slightly as if she was about to say something. The frustrated panda quickly shot a glare her way. Zoe was silenced quickly and continued to quietly listen.

"Now that was know the plan, let's move!" Penny Ling said in a commanding voice. She gave all the pets one final look, noticing that Minka and Pepper had come over so they could hear the plan, before she began to walk back to the dumbwaiter. It was obvious that she expected all the pets to follow her. They did.


	22. Chapter 22: No!

Chapter 22: No!

Before the new plan could be put into effect, they needed to find the others. Vinnie, Sunil, and Mango seemed to have vanished into thin air. Penny Ling groaned in frustration as she looked around the seemingly empty room. All she could see was cushions, toys, and her other friends looking as clueless as she felt. Her tiny, paws bunched into little fists as she surveyed the Day Camp area. She was not going to give up that easily! She had worked too hard just to see everything fall apart. Everyone _was_ going to be happy and everyone _was_ going to be friends again!

"No matter what it takes." Penny Ling said quietly as she voiced the rest of her thoughts. Looking at her other friends, she motioned for them to come closer. Her voice was soft as she gave instructions on what to do. Just because she could not see anyone, did not mean that they could not hear her. If Mango was hiding somewhere nearby, she did not want her to find out what they were up to. It would definitely scare her away and cause her to be uncooperative with everything they tried to do. Penny Ling's eyes darted from side to side as she continued to whisper. If Sunil and Vinnie heard her, it would be much worse. Two things could happen. Either they would become spooked and run off somewhere as well, or they would rehearse their part so many times that it would seemed unauthentic to Mango. Then she would doubt her feelings and their feelings. Leaving everything even worse than when it first began.

Penny Ling sighed. Nodding her head to the other pets, she watched them go off to search the Day Camp area. She caught her reflection in a silver pet bowl and frowned. When she had first heard about Zoe's plan, she had been the one against it all. Now she found herself being the ringleader of the entire operation. Penny Ling sighed. She was unsure about whether or not that was a good thing. She also was unsure about whether or not they were even doing a good thing. Maybe some things were supposed to be left alone. Some things were supposed to work themselves out.

 _No. They could have worked it out before we messed everything up. But we already interfered and that chance is over. Now the only thing we can do is try and fix our mistake._ Penny Ling thought as she looked away from her reflection. Even though it was not her fault, she still felt like it was. Now _she_ was the one who had to fix things.

She began to look around in her designated area. Like a predator on the prowl, she turned over every cushion she could find. Every single one revealed nothing but the shiny floor underneath it. Reaching her paw underneath a particularly large beanbag, she was disappointed to feel only the shiny material of the bag. No fur hiding underneath. With a groan, she continued her search. These pets could be tricky when they wanted to be. Penny Ling's eyes narrowed. They could be hiding anywhere. Her paws twitched as she noticed a large pile of pet toys a few feet in front of her. Grinning, she carefully tiptoed over to the pile. It was very suspicious for a pile of toys to be left on the floor when Russell was around. She was certain that Russell would have cleaned up the pile before going up into Blythe's room. The large pile of toys was in direct view of the dumbwaiter. He surely would have noticed it. That meant that the toys had to of been piled after they had all left the Day Camp area.

Cautiously, she stretched a paw toward the pile. Her paw was nearly touching the toys. She could feel her heart racing. Swallowing to clear the dryness in her throat, Penny Ling grabbed one toy. Before she could think twice, she ripped the toy away from the pile. It caused all of the others toys to collapse. Leaving behind nothing but a view of the Day Camp floor. No one had been in there. Penny Ling stared at the blank floor in front of her, as if by looking long and hard enough she could make someone appear. Unfortunately nothing happened in the course of one minute, or two, or three. Eyes narrowing and cheeks heating up, Penny Ling hurled the toy she held in her paw across the room. It slammed against the wall and fell to the floor with a pitiful squeak. She stared at the crumpled toy for a couple of minutes before reaching for another one.

"Penny Ling!"

Penny Ling turned around to see her friends racing toward her. Relieved she dropped the toy and waited for them to reach her. They must have found them. Everything was going to be just fine.

"WE CAN'T FIND THEM!" All the pets yelled out at the same time. Soon they were all yelling different things simultaneously. Each one began screaming louder to try and drown the others voices out. But all it did was cause the volume and confusion to multiply. Penny Ling covered her ears with her paws in an attempt to drown out the noise. Her eyes scrunched shut in the hope that if she couldn't see them, she couldn't hear them. The noise made her ears ring, her heart race, her eyes burn with hot tears. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"ENOUGH!" Penny Ling roared out.

The other pets quickly quieted down. They all stared embarrassed at the floor. None of them had meant to get that carried away. Russell seemed the most ashamed out of all of them. He quietly stepped forward until he was a few inches away from Penny Ling. His green eyes burned with uncertainty and stayed riveted on the floor. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to talk before closing it again. He instead decided to swallow, to get rid of the dryness in his throat. Once his throat no longer felt uncomfortable, he tried again.

"Sorry about that Penny Ling, we all apologize. What we were trying to say is that we cannot find Mango, Sunil, or Vinnie anywhere in the Day Camp area. They are gone." Russell said in a soft voice. He still did not look at Penny Ling.

Penny Ling did not feel it happen, but weeks later the others insisted that her eye had twitched at that moment. Her heart began to race faster and faster. She could feel the heat leave her tears and enter her entire face. Clenching her paws and narrowing her eyes, she finally released all of the stress and anger she had been feeling throughout the entire day. With a loud roar, she raised her paws into the air. This was not fair! None of it was fair! The others cowered at the sound the angry panda emitted. But they all wisely stayed silent. Penny Ling did not notice Russell backing away from her or the others doing the same. All she could feel was her roar leaving her body and all she could see was the ceiling above her. Once the anger had been released, Penny Ling took a deep breath and faced her friends. Her expression was now as calm as still water, but her eyes were as sharp as knives.

"We will find them. If we all work together there is nothing that we can't do!" Penny Ling began her long pep talk.

"Penny Ling's owner is here to pick her up!" The voice of Mrs. Twombly came drifting in through the front door.

Penny Ling's eye twitched again.

...

Mango walked into the Day Camp area with her head lowered and her ears down. She had a bright yellow leash clipped to her collar and was being led in by Blythe. Two other pets walked beside her. Sunil was right next to her. He kept trying to glance at her and see what was in front of himself at the same time. His expression was confused. She had avoided and ignored him the entire time at the park. He couldn't understand why she would be so uncomfortable around him, especially after the talk they had shared. With worry in his eyes, Sunil tried to touch Mango's shoulder with one paw but she only shifted further away from him. Sighing, he kept his eyes forward.

Vinnie was walking further away from the others. He hoped that if he kept his distance Sunil would not try to ask him about Mango. Vinnie did not want to be the one to tell him that Mango was trying to avoid him because she felt guilty about their friendship. The only problem was that Mango had told Vinnie that she _wanted_ him to be the one to tell Sunil. He groaned quietly and looked over at his two best friends. Mango was still avoiding Sunil and Sunil had given up on trying to make contact with Mango. His eyes misted over, but he quickly wiped them with his hand before anyone could notice. The last thing he needed was Sunil worrying about him next.

All three pets and Blythe looked at Mrs. Twombly in surprise. It had nothing to do with Mrs. Twombly, it had to do with the struggling panda she held in her arms. Penny Ling was waving her arms and legs around, trying to free herself from Mrs. Twombly's grip. While she struggled Penny Ling grunted and roared as if she was trying to scare away the person that held her. Her violet eyes were shut tight as she wiggled. Once they did open she noticed Blythe walking into the Day Camp area… and the three pets who were with her. Her eyes opened wide with in disbelief and shock.

"No. NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Penny Ling yelled out as she was carried out the door.

Mango sat down as continued to stare at the door as Blythe unhooked her leash. Her head was cocked to the side and she wore a thoughtful expression. After her leash was taken off, Mango turned to the other pets who had been watching Penny Ling. They looked just as confused as she was. Shrugging, she quickly scampered off to find somewhere to hide before a certain blue pet could confront her over her behavior. Mango was not a fool. She knew that Vinnie had not said anything to Sunil. She would simply have to wait until the little gecko found his courage and did. Until then, a pile of pillows would make a great hiding place.


	23. Chapter 23: Flee

Chapter 23: Flee

The next morning all the pets in the Day Camp area were staring at the door. The room was filled with a mixture of excitement and fear. It was the day that they settled the problem once and for all. The huge mess would finally be fixed and the Day Camp area could go back to normal. Well, almost normal. Tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a butter knife. Their breathing was shallow and quick as they waited for the final pet to arrive. Only two pets were not as intent on the door as their fellow Day Campers. Vinnie and Sunil had arrived not to far apart and had simply been told to wait for Mango. Then everything would be explained. Shrugging, Vinnie and Sunil had sat down by the others and started to watch the door as well.

Russell scratched the back of his neck. He always got itchy when he was nervous. His big hedgehog eyes darted back and forth. They rested on the other pets for a moment, then the door, then the other pets, and back to the door. Earlier that morning he had insisted that only one pet wait for Mango. Too many would scare her and cause her to become wary and defensive. But every pet had wanted to be the one to wait. Russell had known all along that he was the perfect choice, but no one else had agreed with him. So now they all were waiting for Mango like some kind of ambush. Russell swallowed the lump in his throat. He feared that Mango would see it as precisely that.

The bell on the front door of Littlest Pet Shop jingled. The silence of the Day Camp area caused the jingle to ring throughout the entire room. Normally the sound was a happy one, full of new friends and new possibilities. However, during that moment every pet's heart stopped for a moment before resuming its duties. Russell's lump got even larger and he swallowed over and over again in an attempt to clear it. Sweating slightly, he scooted closer to the door while still staying on his rump. His spines scratching against the floor was the only sound to be heard in the entire room. Once he made it a few feet away from the door he stopped and stared up at it with a mixture of fear and awe. Suddenly, it opened and Blythe strolled inside while carrying Mango in her arms. Mango's face was brighter than it had been the day before. She probably thought that everything had blown over and things would return to normal.

 _No. Mango is too smart to think that all of this would just disappear. She must be putting on a brave face._ Russell thought as he watched Blythe set Mango down on the ground before waving good bye to all of the pets. When none of them waved back, Blythe simply shrugged and left the room.

"Hi Mango." Russell said as he got up. The other pets rose as well, but none of them moved forward.

"Hi Russell… what is going on?" Mango asked warily. Something was wrong.

"We actually wanted to talk to you about something important. All three of you." Russell said as he gestured to Vinnie and Sunil with his paw.

Mango's irises shrunk as her ears began to flatten. That was one of the problems with being a canine. Your body movements always gave your emotions away. Before she could correct her posture, she noticed the slight change in Russell's expression. He knew that she was scared and ready to run. Before anyone could react, Mango decided to distract everyone else from the terrified vibes she was currently giving off. Clearing her throat and putting as much calmness into her voice as she could, she tried to engage Russell in a conversation.

"What could it possibly be about Russell?" Mango said with a false smile.

...

 _She was surrounded by unexpected visitors. Her mind raced as she tried to find a way to escape these intruders before they learned her secrets. She had been told by her heart to guard those secrets with her very life, at that moment it seemed that she actually might lose her life in the process. Her yellow eyes glowed with a fierce light as she stood her ground. The false bravado was only until she could find an opening to escape. As soon as that moment arrived she was going to flee like the frightened puppy she was. Her breathing was shallow and her paws were wet with sweat. Swallowing, she attempted to engage the leader of the vandals with pleasant conversation. If she was going to survive this she would have to play along._

...

Russell saw Mango's eyes and ears give away her true feelings. Russell also noticed that she _knew_ he had saw her. But she was going to try and fool him anyway. Only a cornered animal would fight so hard when it knew that it had been caught. He sighed. If Mango did feel like a cornered animal, they were failing at what they had set out to do. They were trying to help her but she did not see that. He noticed a slight change in her posture. She had shuffled her feet to balance her weight more and had lowered her head into a more relaxed position. But as her head had lowered her shoulders had tensed. Mango was getting ready to run. Russell began to panic. If she ran they would never catch her. Mango was capable of hiding for the entire day if she found a spot good enough. With the state of panic she must be feeling at that moment, she could find the best hiding spot in the world. His mind raced as he tried to find someway to manipulate her into staying.

"It's something very important." Russell said with an equally false smile.

...

 _She noticed the smile on his face, but she also noticed the blank look behind his eyes. The smile was not real. He was not giving her the full truth. The only reason he would do that would be to dangle it in front of her face. If she wanted to know she would have to stand her ground a little longer. Mango decided that she would play along and wait for more information. She could use the extra time to get a better feeling of her surroundings and pinpoint just the right place to run to. She chuckled softly. Little did he know, he was only helping her leave._

 _"What is so very important?" She asked with another smile. This one was bigger._

 _..._

"Well you see…" Russell began, ready to tiptoe around the truth again. He stopped when he saw the look on Mango's face. She was studying him intently. When he looked closer he realized that she was not studying _him_ , she was studying the room. While he was talking she was looking for the most ideal place to run to. She was not listening to him because she knew that whatever he was going to say to her was going to be false. She knew he was toying with her.

 _I am… aren't I? This whole time I haven't been thinking about how to tell her what we want to do. I have been thinking about how to trick her into staying. We are both trying to manipulate each other._

Russell thought back to when they had discussed having a party for Sunil. Now that he thought about it, they hadn't really discussed anything. They had only tried to manipulate the other pet to agree with their idea. Russell remembered constantly thinking about his next move, not why he wanted to make that next move or anything about what Mango was saying, he just wanted to know the next step in getting Mango to agree with him. He had not even been considering her opinion or the reason she gave that opinion and he was sure Mango hadn't been thinking about his. He lowered his eyes with shame as he realized how they had been treating each other. Whenever he had a discussion with Mango he always felt like he was going into battle. It was always more of a competition of the mind then a conversation. He either won or Mango won, but they never won together. Friends listened to each other's point of view and tried to work together to resolve a conflict.

 _Mango and I only work against each other._ Russell steeled himself as he realized what he had to do.

"Mango, I am tired of this."

...

 _Mango had noticed when the leader's expression had wilted slightly. But she was no fool. This was simply another trick to make her let her guard down. It was a way to stop her from fleeing to safety. But she was not going to fall for it. It was too important for her to win this battle. Her eyes narrowed slightly, letting him know that she was on to it but not narrowing enough to let him know she was planning on running soon. Her muscles tensed slightly but she was careful to loosen them again. It was still not time to make her move. Mango was jolted out of her thoughts suddenly when the leader began to speak. His voice was not timid, or controlling, it was… normal. He was talking to her without using any subtle voice hints. His eyes hid nothing and his posture was relaxed. He was simply talking to her._ Russell _was talking to her._

 _Mango released herself from her fantasy world. She didn't need to protect herself anymore. She knew that Russell would never hurt her._

...

"Tired of what… Russell?" Mango asked tentatively.

Russell smiled. Mango was now back to her normal, unsure self. "Tired of this game we are playing. We both know that we aren't really listening to each other."

Mango looked down at the ground in shame. "I was trying to run away." she whispered while still keeping her gaze locked on the ground. She didn't want to see Russell's face now that she told him what a big coward she was. Her eyes misted over as she waited for him to voice his disappointment.

"That's okay Mango."

Her gaze rocketed from the ground over to Russell's face. Her yellow eyes were wide open with shock at what she had just heard. Stammering, she tried to reply. "But… but… I tried to… I mean I wanted to… I was gonna… Russell did you even _hear_ me?" She waited for Russell's answer with her mouth slightly open in surprise. No matter how hard she tried, Mango could not close it.

"I heard you and that is okay. You were just scared and with what we all have done so far… I don't blame you. But this is really important and I need you to listen to me." Russell said calmly. He was trying his best to comfort and calm Mango rather than trick her. He gave her a sincere smile to help calm her nerves.

"Okay." Mango said suspiciously. She knew that Russell was telling the truth, but she found it hard to fully trust others. Trust had to be given sparingly after all.

"We all know that there is something going on between you and Sunil and Vinnie. A triangle of sorts." Russell began. He made sure to carefully study Mango's face so he could calm her down if she began to panic. Unfortunately, he forgot that there were two other pets in the room that he needed to study as well. A loud scream began to echo throughout the Day Camp area. All the other pets covered their ears quickly to try and block out the ear piercing sound. Groans, screams, and mutterings could be heard throughout the room as the scream continued. Russell closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to drown out the noise. It felt as if someone was scratching nails on a chalkboard _inside_ of his head! Finally after a few minutes the scream stopped. Everyone turned to see who had made the noise. Russell was shocked to find Vinnie standing there red cheeked with Sunil staring at him.

"Anyway…" Russell continued. "It is time this thing is settled. Penny Ling came up with a plan." Russell then gestured to Penny Ling as she walked toward them slowly.

Her eyes kept darting from Mango to the ground rapidly. Pink cheeked and breathing hard, Penny Ling was noticeably nervous. She licked her lips a few times to try and clear the dryness from her mouth. Fanning herself with one paw, she attempted to cool herself down before speaking. She had pictured herself doing this and had wanted to do it the day before, but now that Mango was actually in front of her it was harder than she had thought it would be. It was embarrassing to say the least. To think that she had gotten herself into this mess. Penny Ling shuddered. It was none of her buisness what went on between Sunil, Vinnie, and Mango. For a second she thought about canceling the entire plan. Her purple eyes connected with Mango's for a moment and she saw the distrust. Mango remembered how she had shared with her and how Penny Ling had used it against her. Shame washed over Penny Ling like a wave, then it was replaced by determination. She would win back Mango's trust any way she could.

"Mango, we all feel horrible about what we did and I came up with a plan to make it up to you. To all of you." Penny Ling motioned her arm toward Vinnie and Sunil as well as Mango. After all, this was about _all_ of them. She cleared her throat before continuing. "I think that the problem here is that no one is communicating. None of you have told the others how you feel, how you _really_ feel. If you don't tell anyone… how are they supposed to know?"

Mango's eyes wandered over to her two best friends standing with the other pets. In her heart she knew Penny Ling was right. She had already chosen Sunil, but she had never given Vinnie a chance. What kind of friend would she be if she never let him express himself? If he truly thought he loved her, he deserved a shot. Mango felt like she was evenly divided in half. One part of her wanted to hear what Vinnie had to say. She wanted to know what he felt and what he saw in her. But the other part screamed at her to realize what she was thinking. If she did love Sunil, why did she need to hear Vinnie's side? Did she love Sunil? How could she be good enough for Sunil if she was thinking about his _best friend_? Guilt stabbed at her ferociously. Another problem was that if she did hear what Vinnie thought… could she handle letting him down? If Vinnie opened his heart to her, Mango didn't think she could handle rejecting him and stomping all over it. She would end up feeling even guiltier than she already did. Mango knew that she could never choose either of them. Even if she loved Vinnie, she couldn't choose him without hurting Sunil and even if she loved Sunil, which she suspected she did, she couldn't choose him without hurting Vinnie. She was trapped. Mango sighed, wishing that no one loved her at all.

 _It's not like I deserve to be loved anyway._ Mango thought sadly.

"What is your plan Penny Ling?" Mango said, defeat dripping from her voice.

"Well…" Penny Ling began with a smile.

...

All of the pets were gathered together near the stage where Pepper performed her comedy routines. It seemed like the perfect place to get everything out into the open air. Penny Ling wanted all the secrets gone from the Pet Shop for good, so they would have to tell _everybody._ What better place to talk to everyone than from a stage? She had dragged three cushions onto the stage. A blue cushion and a green cushion had been placed side by side. A few feet away she had placed a red cushion. Smiling at her handy work, Penny Ling motioned for Vinnie, Sunil, and Mango to join her. She noticed with a sinking feeling that they approached slowly and reluctantly. Penny Ling frowned. Hopefully when it was all over all three of them would be thanking her with warm hugs and bright smiles. Once they reached her she quickly brightened her expression.

 _If you are happy others will be too!_ Penny Ling repeated one of her favorite sayings in her head to give her strength. She was going to need every single grain of courage she had.

"Alright, Vinnie you sit on the green one and Sunil on the blue. Mango you go on the red. Perfect!" Penny Ling said with a little bounce. Grinning, she rubbed her paws together in anticipation. She looked behind her to make sure everyone else was in their places. The other pets were all lined up in the audience. They all were watching her with interest, desperate to know exactly what she was saying to Vinnie, Sunil, and Mango. All the pets were staring wide eyed at the stage. All except one. Russell seemed skeptical about the whole thing, his eyes were narrowed and had one eyebrow raised in question. His entire look seemed to scream, a stage… really? Penny Ling sighed softly so know one would notice. Russell was always trying to protect his friends. He knew for a fact that Mango and Sunil hated being in the spotlight. What he didn't know was that by always mentioning how much it scared them he was _feeding_ the fear. Like meat to a hungry predator. If he really wanted to help them he needed to act like people watching you was no big deal. Eventually it would no longer be a problem for either of them. She made a mental note to talk to Russell about that subject once everything was settled.

"Alright guys, you all know what to do right?" Penny Ling asked softly. She studied each of them as she spoke to see how they were handling the situation. Vinnie was sitting there with a smooth smile on his face. He had already talked it over with Sunil after the plan had been explained to them and Sunil had said he was okay with Vinnie saying whatever he had to. Now that the guilt was gone, Vinnie was ready to win over Mango fair and square. He had a bright look in his eyes and a shine in his hair. Penny Ling smiled. There was no need to worry about Vinnie. She moved her gaze over to Sunil. He had a soft smile on his face, but his eyes showed worry. Penny Ling noted that he was twisting his tail, a habit he did when he was nervous. Calmly, she gave him a soft smile and a thumbs up. He returned the smile gratefully and stopped twisting his tail between his paws. Vinnie reached over and gave Sunil a small pat on the back. Grinning even wider, Sunil turned and scooped Vinnie up in a big hug. They stayed hugging for a few minutes before breaking apart. Both looked considerably calmer.

 _This is going to go perfectly. They both will give their speech to Mango, she chooses a winner, and everyone stays friends afterward._ Penny Ling thought as she turned to look at Mango. Her heart dropped as she saw her friend. While Sunil had been slightly nervous, Mango was very nervous. She was _extremely_ nervous. Her entire body shook as she sat on her cushion. She stared at Penny Ling with wide eyes that seemed to be saying 'help me' and 'I hate you' at the same time. A grimace covered her face and her ears couldn't have been any lower if she wanted them to be. Placing her fluffy tail between her legs, Mango lowered her head in a begging position. There was no way Mango would be able to listen to them while she was in this state. Penny Ling walked closer to Mango to try and calm her down without anyone hearing. The last thing she needed was to draw more attention on Mango. As she placed a paw on the soft, orange fur of Mango's back she noticed that her breathing was shallow and rapid. It seemed that it was taking all of her energy to not run off at that very moment.

"Mango, you can do this." Penny Ling whispered. "You don't even have to talk."

Her friend raised her eyes so she could see Penny Ling, but she did not raise her head.

"You are going to be fine." Penny Ling continued.

"I know I don't have to talk… but I have to choose." Mango whispered back in fear. Her eyes widened as she voiced her fears. The shivering intensified, causing Penny Ling to have to put pressure on the paw she had placed on Mango in order to keep her still.

"That is not so bad." Penny Ling said with a smile.

"What? How is that not bad. No matter who I choose, they will both hate each other and one will hate me… not to mention I will hate myself." Mango said with a defeated look in her eyes.

"Don't think like that." Penny Ling searched for the right words to say. "Vinnie and Sunil already said that no matter who wins they will still be friends. No one will hate you. The only pet you have to worry about is…" she paused as she realized the root of the problem. "yourself."

Mango looked at the floor again without responding. Penny Ling suddenly knew what this was about. She was not worried about what her friends would say. She knew that they would never leave her. They were simply an excuse so she would not have to face the real problem. Penny Ling had noticed Mango playing with Vinnie and Sunil a few days before. She had seen that something was bothering Mango, but she could not figure out what. Now it all made sense. When the feelings had begun Mango had ignored them and tried to say that she was having trouble connecting with her best friends at the same time. But she had really been having trouble connecting with the fact that one of them might be more special than the other. She had wanted them to be equal and had drove herself crazy trying to make them exactly that. When that failed she had separated herself from them in an effort to have them be the same. If she removed the problem Vinnie and Sunil would still be best friends. But Mango's plan had failed when Penny Ling and the others had made the fake beach.

That forced her to face her fears right then and there. She could not longer keep them the same because she was with one of them alone. Without her other best friend there to act as a distraction she had to focus on the one in front of her. The emotions must have all come flooding towards Mango. She had been forced to realize she was in love. But Mango did not want to be in love. If she had really wanted to she would have stayed with Sunil instead of making the plan with Vinnie to break it off. Penny Ling thought back to the chat she had had with Sunil on the way to the stage. The others had been walking ahead and she had taken the opportunity to get information.

 _Sunil was walking with a thoughtful expression on his face. Penny Ling looked at him with concern when she noticed that he had almost tripped on a chew toy because he had not been paying attention to where he was walking. She hesitated a few minutes before speaking, choosing her words carefully so that she did not trigger his flight alarm._

 _"Sunil, I was wondering if you had already said something to Mango." Penny Ling began softly. She wanted to probe him gently so he did not notice._

 _"Like what?" Sunil asked with only a quick glance at Penny Ling. He had already directed his attention back on Mango._

 _"Like how you feel about her."_

 _"Oh? Oh…" Sunil responded. He now turned toward the panda speaking to him. "Actually, I already told her how I feel. That is not against the rules is it?" He had a guilty look on his face, like someone who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar._

 _"No no no. Of course not. I was just wondering." Penny Ling assured him._

 _"Phew. I was beginning to worry I would be disqualified from the competition. Anyway, to further answer your question, when I told her she seemed so happy. But now she has been avoiding me all day and won't even spare a glance in my direction. Do you think she has changed her mind?" Sunil asked as he studied the back of Mango's head._

 _"I… don't know." Penny Ling answered truthfully._

 _After she realized that Sunil was no longer going to speak to her, she walked over to where Vinnie was to ask him some questions as well. Something strange was going on with Mango and she intended to find out. Vinnie had been walking quietly with a worried look on his face. He kept sneaking glances toward Mango as well. But instead of studying the back of her head, he seemed like he was fearing it. Penny Ling stroked her chin as she thought. Vinnie definitely knew something that Sunil didn't. Whatever he knew was important and had something to do with the way Mango was acting. All she needed to do was gently ease the information out of him. Penny Ling knew she couldn't share the information with Sunil. All that would do was cause conflict. Poor Sunil would have to find out on his own. What she could do was use the information to piece together the complex puzzle that was her friend Mango._

 _"Vinnie, how are you feeling?" Penny Ling asked as she began to walk next to Vinnie._

 _"Oh, hi Penny Ling. I'm fine." Vinnie responded half-heartedly._

 _"Fine? You don't seem fine to me." Penny Ling said with a frown._

 _"I'm fine."_

 _Penny Ling narrowed her eyes. He wasn't cracking. She was going to have to be blunt about what she wanted. "Vinnie, something is wrong with you and I think it has to do with Mango."_

 _"What?" Vinnie looked at Penny Ling with surprise. "It does not…"_

 _Penny Ling raised one eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. She knew something was wrong. Her expression was hard and determined. Vinnie sighed. He could tell from one look at her face that she was not going to leave him alone until he confessed everything he knew. It was useless to resist. Penny Ling was like a mountain, there was no way he could budge her. Glancing in front of him to make sure Mango was out of hearing range, Vinnie leaned toward Penny Ling._

 _"Well, here is what happened…" He began._

Penny Ling snapped back to reality. It was obvious that Mango had something going on inside her mind. Something that went deeper than just Vinnie and Sunil's friendship. Penny Ling knew that they would overcome this and she knew that Mango knew it too. Something else was holding her back. Now that Mango's plan had failed she was backed into a corner with no where to run. Mango had come straight to a dead end and had nothing else to do but cower in fear. Penny Ling sighed. If only she knew what was happening in her head. Maybe she could help her. But she was forced to work only with what she had pieced together. Mango had denied the problem, tried to reject the problem, and finally avoid the problem. She was no longer looking, speaking, or thinking about Sunil. Until now. Now she had to face her true fear… but what was it that Mango was afraid of? Love? That was too wide of a subject. No one could fear love itself. Commitment? No, Mango had bound herself to her two best friends since day one. What could it be? Penny Ling was so frustrated she felt like screaming. Finally she admitted defeat. Whatever Mango was dealing with, she would have to face it on her own. Penny Ling could only help her with so much before Mango had to take matters into her own paws.

"Mango, I don't know what you are afraid of… but you have to overcome it." Penny Ling said as she raised Mango's head with her paws.

"Penny Ling, I know you are trying to help but…" Mango began.

"Mango, answer this. Can you love Sunil?" Penny Ling whispered urgently.

"Y-yes. What does that have to do with…" Mango answered with a confused look on her face. She had cocked her head to the side.

"Can you love Vinnie?"

Mango looked over Penny Ling's shoulder toward the green gecko. He had been a close friend to her as well. He had always been there when she needed him. She remembered him asking her to dance, the feeling she had when she glided around the floor with him. The touch of his hand on her fur. The look he gave her when he raised her eyes to meet his. He had loved her from the very beginning… and had remained silent the entire time. Mango was surprised to find that she was grateful to him for that.

"Yes… I could." Mango whispered as she realized that she really could.

"They both could love you too. All you need to do is pick which one you could love more. Don't you see Mango? Either way, you win!" Penny Ling whispered with a sparkle in her eyes.

"But I don't want to win. I want them both to win. I feel selfish." Mango replied with a pleading look in her bright eyes. They had begun to mist over.

"Mango, we all deserve a chance to be selfish once in a while. Some take their turns more than others and some give all their turns to other people. Mango, _please_ , take your turn."

Mango looked into Penny Ling's eyes. Her friend really wanted her to be happy. They all did. She sighed and looked toward the ground before answering. "Alright. My turn."

Penny Ling gave her a bright grin before walking away to face the audience of pets. Mango smiled back with only a small portion of her energy. A brief thought flashed through her mind. Before she knew what was happening she was transported back to a day of her past. An important day… and a terrifying one. She was smaller, her eyes were larger on her head. They were opened wide in fear. She could feel the moisture pooling inside of them, waiting to spill out onto her soft, pup fur. Her short legs were shaking, barely supporting her small body. She could feel her tiny tail tucked between her back legs. On top of her head was her signature bow, but it was larger on her due to her smaller size. She sniffed as she tried to keep the tears inside of her where they belonged. Wolves did not cry.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! It was an accident!" She cried out toward the pet in front of her. She sniffed again, desperate to hide the wetness in her eyes.

"No you're not! You did this on purpose! Why do you always have to ruin everything?"

"I-I-I didn't mean too." She tried to convince the pet again.

"You always ruin everything!"

Mango opened her eyes quickly. Her heart was pounding and her breathing was rapid. She looked down and saw the increased length of her legs. Her body was larger and her bow did not cover as much of her head as it had a few moments ago. She looked back and saw a large, fluffy tail not tucked between her legs. Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked at her surroundings and saw herself safe in the Day Camp area. Her friends were around her. She was safe. But a voice lingered in her mind for a few seconds before retreating back into her memory. It left behind the echo of words she had hoped to never hear again.

 _You always ruin everything!_


	24. Chapter 24: That's Why I Love You

Chapter 24: That's Why I Love You

"Alright everyone! Please quiet down! It is time for the competition to begin!" Penny Ling yelled over the murmuring of her friends. She knew that this was a very important moment for Mango. Probably one of the most important moments of her entire life. It was finally time for her to slay the beast that had been shadowing her during the very first minute she realized something was not right. Penny Ling breathed in and out before continuing.

"Here is what will happen. Vinnie and Sunil will each have the chance to give a short speech to Mango telling her why they feel how they do and why she should choose them. After they have both finished Mango will think it over for a few minutes and name a winner. The winner will be able to start a relationship with Mango and the…" Penny Ling paused. She didn't want to say loser, it sounded mean. "not winner will have to be happy for both of them and continue being their friend. Please remain quiet while they speak and do not try to sway Mango." She raised her eyebrow at her friends in a knowing manner. It was obvious that some of them already had their favorites. She personally didn't care who won as long as they were happy. But it wouldn't hurt to see Mango choose a certain mongoose.

When she sat down in the audience Minka turned to her and whispered. "Who do you want to win?"

"What?" Penny Ling whispered back.

"Who do you want to win? I want Vinnie to win. He is just so much fun to be with and I think he could really be good for Mango." Minka whispered back. Excitement was dripping from her voice as she leaned closer to Penny Ling.

"I don't feel comfortable saying who I want to win." Penny Ling whispered back while blushing. She didn't want to let anyone know that she had picked a favorite.

"Come on! I told you mine!" Minka whispered fervently.

"Alright, I would like Sunil to win." Penny Ling said with a blush.

"Sunil?" Minka asked with a confused look on her face.

"He's… nice."

"Okay." Minka said with a shrug. "I have been talking to the other pets to see who they want to win. You want to know?"

"Well…" Penny Ling didn't feel right about knowing who her friends wanted to win. But they _had_ told Minka, so they shouldn't mind if she knew too. Penny Ling wrestled with her curiosity before finally admitting defeat. "Ok."

"Zoe wants Sunil, she feels bad for scaring him with the beach, and Pepper wants Vinnie. Pepper thinks that Vinnie is funnier than Sunil because he falls all the time and she also thinks that Sunil can't handle a serious relationship. Russell won't tell me who he wants. He says that he doesn't care as long as everyone is happy, but I think he just doesn't want to choose." Minka whispered into Penny Ling's ear. After she was done talking she leaned away from her ear and focused her attention on the stage.

 _We didn't have to choose?_ Penny Ling thought as she directed her attention as well.

...

The three pets on the stage swallowed nervously. They all had put on brave faces when Penny Ling was there, but the truth was they were spinning with emotional turmoil on the inside. Although they had all agreed to remain friends after it was over, it was easy to talk about something and harder to actually do it. No matter how much they wanted to stay together, the emotional conflict of seeing someone else with someone you care about could be too much to handle. Any one of those pets could break the promise and call it off. If any of them did, the others would not judge them because they might have done it themselves after enough time. But until that happened, they still had to try. Maybe they could save their friendship after all.

Vinnie was the first one to speak. It had been decided before after Penny Ling had finished talking to Mango. He had noticed something wrong with Mango after Penny Ling had finished speaking with her and had become worried. She had seemed wilted for some reason and her eyes had taken on a glazed look as if she was not really there. But after a few seconds she had snapped out of it. Vinnie was relieved when he noticed her eyes take on their normal shine, although they had seemed scared. He pushed the thought out of his mind as he stood up. He had no idea what he was going to say. They had not been allowed to prepare anything. Everything they said had to be spur of the moment so that their _true_ feelings could be voiced.

Vinnie hated not having time to think it all over.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat and tried to speak. Nothing came out of his mouth. Coughing, he tried again… and again, and again, and again. Vinnie could not believe it. Nothing was coming out of his mouth. Not a single sound could be uttered. Vinnie began to sweat. This was terrible. It was the most important talk he would ever have with Mango. This was his only chance to win her over and he could not say anything! Vinnie began to breathe harder as his eyes darted around the room. He was looking for something, anything, that could help him. Then he saw her.

She was sitting across from him. Her eyes were wide with worry as she looked at him. They were big and yellow, shining with the light of the sun. She was focused intently on him as if she wanted to hear what he was going to say. She did. Vinnie suddenly realized something he had not noticed the entire time he was up there. Mango _did_ want to know what he thought of her. He had assumed that she had already chosen and was doing this to humor him. Vinnie had thought that if he even had a _chance_ of convincing her he was going to have to string together some amazing speech. Something powerful that no living pet could resist. But it was not going to be that hard because she wanted to hear him. Mango did not know how she felt about him and was hoping he could help her decide. Vinnie stared for a moment, transfixed on the beauty in front of him. Beauty that could be found on the inside and out.

"I don't really know what to say." Vinnie began. "Um… Mango, I am not a smart pet. I don't know much about numbers and books and thinking, but I know one important thing. I know that I love you. It did not take me long to notice that you were different from the other pets that visit, but it did take me long to see why. I did not know I loved you for a while, but when I realized that I did I realized that I always had."

Vinnie licked his lips and tried to steady his nerves as he continued. "You are everything that I am not. You are smart, talented, and always know what to say. I'm sorry if this is not very… poetic, but it is real. Mango when I am with you it doesn't matter if I am not smart because I know that you will explain things to me because that is who you are. You are patient with others. When I am near you my heart gets fluttery and my mouth gets dry and all I can do is stare at you because I have never seen anything as amazing in my entire life. I would do anything for you. Mango, I would give up anything for you, even dancing. All I want is to see you smile because when you smile everything is perfect." Vinnie stared deeply into Mango's eyes. "Mango, you give me a reason to dance. I love you and always will. If you don't love me I will accept that but I will never leave you and you have no reason to worry. You can trust me."

Vinnie ended his speech with long gaze into Mango's sunshine filled eyes. He sat down after a few minutes and glanced over at his best friend. Sunil's face was blank and Vinnie could not tell whether he was moved or worried. Strangely, Vinnie realized that at that moment he did not care. All he cared about was what Mango thought about it. He studied her face in an attempt to read her expression. Her eyes were thoughtful, Vinnie could almost see the thoughts swirling around inside of them. She had a small smile on her face but it was reluctant to show. Vinnie wondered why before he remembered that Sunil still had his speech to make. Mango liked what Vinnie had said but she did not want to show it out of fear of what that would do to Sunil's confidence and possibly his speech. Vinnie understood. If he got a fair chance so did Sunil.

...

Sunil watched Vinnie stand up to deliver his speech. He seemed really nervous, and was constantly licking his lips in an attempt to moisten them so he could talk. Sunil pitied him. It must be hard to stand up in front of everyone and not be able to speak a single word. Even harder when talking was the reason you stood up in front of everyone in the first place. He shuddered as he watched Vinnie sink lower and lower into the pit of doom. Finally, Vinnie found his voice and was able to form words. Sunil listened intently, leaning forward so he could hear Vinnie better. It was not very poetic, it did not have many big words, but it was real. He smiled as Vinnie closed his speech and stared at Mango for a few minutes. Sunil could tell that Mango enjoyed what Vinnie had said. It was written all over her face. He straightened himself as he prepared to stand up and talk as well. If Mango could enjoy Vinnie's, she could love his. At least, that is what he hoped. Sunil cleared his throat and grabbed his tail as Vinnie sat down next to him. He turned his head to view Vinnie for a moment, hoping for some gesture to give him back his confidence, but Vinnie was still transfixed on Mango. Sighing, Sunil stood up. It looked like he was on his own this time.

"Um… I am not really sure what to say in this situation." Sunil began. He hoped that if he gave Mango some warning before he spoke she would judge him less harshly. "But I will try my best. Ahem… Mango when I first met you I did not feel anything more than seeing a new face at Littlest Pet Shop. Something that happened every now and then and, in my opinion, was not much cause for excitement."

Sunil grabbed his tail and began to twist fiercely. "But then you helped me with my magic trick. I was loathe to let you help but something told me to give you a chance. I did not know what it was. I foolishly ignored that voice when I found out what you were and like a fool I attempted to abandon you. But in the fire hydrant I didn't see a monster, I saw a pet who was exactly like me. You were scared."

Sunil cleared his throat as he continued. As he talked he stared directly into Mango's eyes. "I get scared all the time and luckily I have Vinnie to help. You were alone and I did not enjoy seeing that. So I helped you, and in doing so I gained another friend. But I had accomplished much more than that, I just had not realized it yet. Mango allow me to apologize for how I acted when Shahrukh came. Your large heart caused you to help him and I shallowly took out my anger on you. You were kind enough to not only help Shahrukh, but take me back. I did not know what emotion drove me to that point. Now I do. I was in love. The more I think about it the simpler it seems. You are an amazing, talented, beautiful, kind, _brave_ pet and I loved you. I still love you even when standing in front of all these other pets. I could not bear to lose you to Shahrukh. I could not bear to lose you to this competition either. So if you choose Vinnie I promise to stay by your side and continue to be your friend because it is an honor to be just that with you."

He dropped his tail. "I am not a brave pet. I get scared easily and many things scare me. But when I am with you I don't have to be scared. You… you give me strength. It does not matter what scares me because I would be willing to face all of my fears to save you. I would fight a thousand bugs to rescue you and climb a thousand curtains to reach you. I would be there for you no matter what happens because I know you would do the same for me. I trust you. Mango, you give me a reason to be brave. I know it does not sound like much but it means the world to me. Thank you. No matter who you choose, I will always be grateful to you. You can never lose me so do not worry. You take my worries away so allow me to do the same by saying… it is okay."

Sunil ended his speech with a small bow to Mango, the pet who had stolen his cowardice and his heart. When he had thought about what he was going to say on the way to the stage he had imagined some grand speech about her entrancing beauty or her incredible wit. He now realized that he did not need to compliment her or flatter her. Sunil just wanted to thank her for everything she had done for him. If she chose him he would be thrilled but if she didn't he wouldn't want his speech to be hanging over her head. No, Sunil would give her a speech that would rid her of guilt and tell her just how important she was to him. He looked at Mango only for a second. He did not want her thinking he was pleading with her. Sunil just wanted one more look at her while he could still love her. If she chose Vinnie Sunil would never be able to view her the same way. Best friends did not view their best friend's girlfriend like he viewed Mango at that moment. Making a mental picture of her in his mind, Sunil prepared to face Mango's decision.

...

Mango could not help but feel flattered by everything that was happening to her. She wished it was happening to someone else, but she still had to admit that it was nice to know she had two perfectly fine pets fighting for her affection. Her face blushed a bright crimson as she brought herself out of her mind and into the present. She did have two perfectly fine pets fighting for her affection and at that moment they both were waiting to see which one would get it. Her paws began to move up and down as she tried to decide. They were practically itching to take her as far away as she could possibly run. Mango sighed as she imagined a life far away in Greece or Italy. If only that were possible, but even if she could run, Mango knew that she wouldn't. She couldn't run from them.

Her throat became drier than sandpaper, she swallowed in vain to try and moisten it enough for her to speak. When she did her voice was a dry croak more suitable for a frog instead of a maned wolf. "Um… I choose…"

Carefully she weighed the pros and cons of each pet in her mind. She decided to start with Vinnie because he had not only went first, he had loved her first. Her bright eyes gleamed as she stared at him in thought. He was one of her best friends and he had always been there for her. Kind and caring, he tried to help even when he was not sure how. Mango had to admit that even if he was not the most gifted dancer a passion burned inside of him that carried him on. She admired that about him. In fact, she admired many things about him.

 _Vinnie is such an amazing pet. How did I not notice it before? The passion that drives him when he dances is incredible. I get lost when I watch him, caught up in the feeling he emits. I remember when he danced with me. It was so calm, so peaceful, it just felt… right._

Mango blushed as she remembered the feeling of his strong arms holding her close. How near their faces were to each other's and the way she couldn't help but notice that it would only take a few inches for them to meet. Her cheeks reddened even deeper as she realized that she had been wanting to dance with him again but had never worked up the courage to ask.

 _Vinnie would be there for me. I know it. It is true that he is a little dim… but that gives him a kind of innocence. A way of seeing the world as it could be instead of how it is. He wouldn't mind what others thought because all that matters to him is how happy we are and how he feels about me. I can't believe he never told me. He didn't want to jeopardize his friendship with Sunil, how sweet._

Vinnie _was_ sweet. He was loyal, and trustworthy, and funny, and kind, and even a little good looking. His hair was always expertly styled and his physique was well maintained. It was a wonder that no other pets seemed to notice his charm. He was scaly and cold, but in his eyes burned a warmth that overpowered the chill from his touch. Mango did not know that she could feel so warm while in a cold-blooded pets embrace. It was strange and wonderful at the same time. Her mind was swirling in a sea of thoughts and feelings when she looked at him. For the first time since she had came to Littlest Pet Shop, she did not know how she felt about Vinnie.

Mango calmed her mind before moving on to the second pet in front of her. Sunil was a mystery to Mango. Only a few moments earlier she had been sure that she was in love with him, but now she felt the need to examine him closer to make sure she really knew what she felt. She cocked her head to the side as she looked at him, as if she was asking an unspoken question. Do I love you? It was true that she and Sunil were close, but plenty of pets at the Day Camp were close. Was it possible that she was simply reading to much into their closeness?

 _Sunil is my best friend. What if it is weird being with him in that way? I enjoy his company and spend almost every day with him. I don't want to lose that. No, I have to be fair and give him a true evaluation. What do I like about Sunil? I enjoy his magic. He really does have an amazing gift. It is strange that no one seems to see that._

Sunil was a pet with magical abilities, it was true. But for some strange reason most of his tricks ended in bitter failure. It could not of been a lack of skill because Sunil was a dedicated magician. Practicing for hours every day until he was sure he had gotten every detail right. Something else held him back from his full potential. Mango suspected that it was fear. He simply did not believe in himself. Mango could relate to that.

 _He doesn't believe he can get it right. I wish he could see how amazing he really is and what an incredible gift he has. He always makes me see the best in myself. I want to help him see the best in himself too. Sunil is always supportive of me. When I need him he is there, no questions asked. I can rely on him and trust him._

Sunil really was like a knight in shining armor. Quick to come with a shoulder to cry on and a comforting word. Mango only needed to know that Sunil would come if she called, that was enough to calm her down. He had shown his devotion to her in many ways. Through stories, magic tricks, and simple hugs. Her heart melted as she recalled the apology he had made for her after their fight regarding Shahrukh. She had never felt such joy before until she saw the performance. But it was not the show that she had loved the most, it was the fact that Sunil had made it for her.

 _He really is romantic. He knows me… really knows me. I could just lean against his shoulder and talk for hours. Feeling his warm, teal fur against mine and staring at his golden eyes. Just the right height for me to look up to him without getting a crick in my neck. Slim enough for me to hug but plump enough for me to sink into. Everything about him just feels… right._

Mango was jolted out of her thoughts as she realized what she had done. She had not evaluated either of them. She had said the things she loved most about them and had come to the conclusion that they both were… right. Either one would be amazing to have as a partner and she would be happy either way. Her mind was whirling. The couldn't be correct. You couldn't be happy with two pets at the same time. Someone had to be a better match. There had to be something that could break the tie. A problem, something that irritated her, something that ruled them out as a candidate. Mango could feel her chest tightening as she realized that she did not know who she loved. She didn't know because she could love both of them. No one stood out. There was no realization, no fireworks, no melting heart as she gazed into the eyes of the one she chose. This was not right. Mango needed someone else to make the choice for her. She couldn't do it alone. The boys were unable to do it. The other pets were unable to do it. Mango's final option was for her heart to decide for her and it had failed as well. All that was left was Mango's brain and it was at a loss. Both were compatible, both were _equally compatible_. That was not right. Something was wrong with her.

 _What is wrong with me? Am I unable to feel love? Just a little while ago I was confessing my love for Sunil and now suddenly I_ don't know _! How could I love Sunil if I am considering his best friend. How could I love Vinnie if I was certain I was in love with his best friend? This is wrong! I am supposed to know. This is not supposed to be this hard. It is my turn to be selfish, my turn to be happy, it is_ my _turn!_

Mango's eyes began to brim with tears she refused to shed. She would not cry in front of all of her friends. They would comfort her and be understanding, they would not judge her. But that just made it even worse. They would be amazing and it would only remind her about what a mess she was. She wanted them to yell at her, she wanted them to call her a fool. Mango needed someone else to be mad at. She wanted someone else to belittle and berate. If someone did not do something soon, she would only have herself to ridicule. Mango's mind raced in circles as she tried to make sense of the dramatic turn of events. Soon she was exhausted, ready to collapse, and wanted nothing more than to wake up and find that this was all a bad dream.

"I choose…" Mango said in desperation. Hoping against all odds that if she spoke something good would come out. She had a fifty-fifty shot at happiness and could see no other way out other than guessing. "I choose…"

"Mango, your owners are here!" A voice called from the doorway.

All the pets turned toward the sound of the voice, leaving Mango temporarily forgotten. Mango breathed a sigh of relief before crawling toward the door. She kept her body low to the floor and stepped lightly. Desperate to draw no attention to herself until she reached the safety of the door. Her paws moved quickly against the hard floor. With her head so close to the ground she was unable to see any of her friends and had to rely on her ears to tell her whether or not they saw her. It was risky, but it was the only way she could leave quickly enough. Her ears flicked about quicker than a humming bird's wings as she attempted to hear everything at once. All Mango could hear was the sound of her frantic breathing and the soft sound of her paws making contact with the ground. It had only been a few minutes since the voice had spoken, but Mango felt like she had been crawling for hours.

"Mango, where are you going?"

She stopped suddenly and groaned inwardly as she recognized the voice. Surprise, surprise, Zoe was the cause of her anguish… again. Slowly turning with a fake smile plastered on her face, Mango tried to come up with a clever and believable answer.

 _Come on Mango, think fast. Something that they all will believe. You can do this._

"I was… I um… I saw something on the ground." Mango stammered. _Oh my gosh, that was the worst excuse ever. Right after 'I fell' and before 'I don't know'._

The other pets began to stare at Mango with looks of confusion and disbelief on their faces. Mango knew that if this kept up any longer they would simply demand an answer from her. An answer that she was not prepared to give yet. Before anyone could break the glass of silence surrounding them all, Mango raced for the door. She ran like a pack of wolves was after her. Feet flying and tail streaming out from behind her, Mango could see the door getting closer and closer. All she needed to do was reach the door and she would be safe until the next day. That would give her plenty of time to either make a decision…. or move to a foreign country.

Finally, after was seemed like an eternity of her running while her friends called her name, she reached the door. Her paw caressed it's smooth surface for only a moment before she hurled her body to the other side. Straight into the arms of her friend Blythe. Mango smiled at her and snuggled against her pink blouse, thanking her silently for calling. Not knowing what the sudden affection was about, Blythe just laughed and began to pet the wolf in her arms. Mango sighed and let herself enjoy the contact. It was one of the few things she could enjoy at that moment so she was prepared to milk it as much as she could. Before she knew what was happening she drifted off to sleep.


	25. Chapter 25: The Figure

Chapter 25: The Figure

Mango slowly opened her eyes. She yawned and stretched in an attempt to wake up her tried muscles. It failed and she found herself lying down yet again. Blurry with sleep and unshed tears, Mango's eyes had trouble finding out where she was. After she had thoroughly rubbed them with her paws Mango was able to see again. She realized that she was in her apartment room. From where she was Mango could see the two green couches that rested in the living room. A flat plasma stood against one wall, armed with all the latest game consoles known to man and pet. A jungle of wires could be located behind the television. Mango remembered how she had learned the hard way as a pup that you never entered that jungle. If you managed to escape without getting tangled and damaging an important wire, the cage was all that awaited you once you exited. Mango had been thrown in the cage at least ten times for trying to see what was in that mass of cords.

Mango continued to look around her home to see if she was alone. The brown carpet was clean and undisturbed by footprints. A few chew toys littered the ground but Mango was the only pet in the house. Her owners did not mind where she left her toys as long as she knew that they were the only things she chewed. Her favorite rubber bone caught her eye, but she discarded the thought and rested her head on the cushion she laid on. She did not need to play, she needed to think. Her bright eyes scanned the room one final time before closing again. Her mind was too tired to think. All she needed was a few minutes of blissful sleep to help clear her head. Yawning and stretching her legs, she curled up on the cushion and tried to relax.

 _Mango opened her eyes to see where she was. Her vision was fuzzy at first. It seemed like she was looking through a thick fog. The shapes in front of her were unrecognizable for a few minutes before they cleared and allowed her to see where she was. Mango was surprised to see that she was in the Day Camp area. She believed that it was the middle of the day because of the position of the sun through the window. Mango loved looking through that window. It was an excellent way to observe the outside world without worrying about it observing you back. Her tail began to slowly wag back and forth as she remembered all the times she had spent reading on that window sill. Mango turned her head to try and see if she was alone. The TV was on and was playing a romance movie that Mango adored. It was about a poor boy and a princess._

 _The poor boy was a smart boy and capable of many great things, but he was so poor that he could barely afford to keep bread on the table. An adventurous princess lived in the same city as him. By chance, the boy got to see the princess in the town one day and instantly fell in love. After saving her from trouble, the boy found that he had a lot in common with the princess. They soon connected before she was taken back to the palace. It seemed like they would never be together because of their stations in life. However, with the help of a genie and magic carpet, the boy was able to win the love of the princess. In the end he realized that the princess loved him for him and not because he was pretending to be a prince. Mango loved the movie. It's colorful animation, catchy songs, and brilliant voice acting was only a few reasons why it was one of her favorites. By luck, it was only just beginning. She quickly ran over and curled up on a cushion so she could watch it._

 _Her ear twitched as she heard footsteps behind her. She turned her head to see a pet walking toward her. She smiled and motioned for him to sit next to her and watch the movie too. Once he was on the cushion next to her, she resumed watching. To Mango's surprise, she felt an arm encircle her and cause her to lean on the pet next to her. She looked up to see Sunil's face smiling at her. His eyes were so warm and his smile melted her heart. Mango sighed and snuggled deeper into his furry side. His fur felt like a warm blanket and his arms around her made her feel safe. Breathing in deeply, Mango took in the scent of Sunil. It was a smokey flavor, full of soap and wood. The scents mingled together perfectly and left Mango with a feeling of calmness. It could only be described as… magical. Her eyes wandered to the movie in time to see the boy and the princess meet for the first time. She could feel their instant love radiating from the screen and bathing her in their glow. For a moment, Mango thought some of the glow she felt might not be coming from the screen at all. She closed her eyes for a moment before feeling the arms around her fade away._

 _Mango looked around in surprise. The room was once again empty. It seemed like she was the only one in the entire Pet Shop. She shook her head in denial. Mango knew that she couldn't be the only one there. If her owners had dropped her off at the Pet Shop someone would have had to have been there to bring her to the Day Camp area. Mango's eyes narrowed as she scanned the room once more. She couldn't be alone. She wasn't alone. Was she? Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that she actually might be the only living soul in the Littlest Pet Shop. Something was very wrong. Her fur fluffed as she backed away slowly. Bright eyes remained glued to the door in case someone came in. Mango's mind raced faster than a speeding race horse._

 _She continued to back away slowly while keeping her gaze riveted on the door in front of her. Without warning she was suddenly whisked off of her feet from behind and turned around. She silently reprimanded herself for not thinking about the possibility that someone_ was _there and she simply couldn't see them. While she was reprimanding herself she was not paying attention to who had grabbed her. Adding one more item to list of things to chastise herself for, she tried to focus on who held her. The image was blurry due to the rough and unexpected spinning. Mango tried to talk to the pet who held her and tell him or her to put her down at once but her stomach was feeling queasy and she did not trust her mouth to form words. Taking a few moments to calm down the butterflies in her stomach, she blinked a few times and tried to focus upon her captor._

 _Almost instantly the picture cleared and she could recognize the face in front of her. It was none other than Vinnie. Mango could feel her face flush a deep crimson as she stared at the gecko's face. It was only a few inches away from her own and his breath made her face feel even hotter. Her eyes darted to the floor, she willed them to stay there even though her every instinct was telling her to keep her eyes on the pet that held her. It was not because she was attracted to him, that is what she kept telling herself. It was because when cornered, prey always made sure to watch the predator's every move in case there was a chance for escape. Deep down, Mango knew that she couldn't get away, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to._

 _Before she could protest, she felt herself be gently pulled upward. Mango's face looked up and stopped on Vinnie's face. Without warning, she was spun around slowly and swayed from side to side. Her paws gently tapped against the floor. They stepped in a rhythm that she had never learned before but seemed to know by instinct. Against her will, her tail began to wag as she swayed on the floor. Vinnie's hands seemed to stroke her fur as he held her. It was so gentle, so tender. Suddenly Mango felt herself melting into the dance. She no longer fought it and decided to enjoy every minute of it. Although there was no music, it was as if they both were listing to the same melody. The music was simply_ in _them. Time slowed as she danced with the pet that held her. All she could see was his face, all she could feel was his hands, and all she could do was dance. Mango wondered if she might be feeling something powerful. Something that she had been hoping to feel for days. She closed her eyes in order to focus on nothing but what she felt. Before she could decide what was happening, she felt the hands holding her fade._

 _It continued like that several more times. Sometimes she would be held by Sunil, other times it would be Vinnie. Once she was on a picnic with Sunil, enjoying the sunshine and the soft grass. Another time she was taking a walk through the park with Vinnie, enjoying the fresh air and the way he kept sneaking glances at her. But whenever she began to feel like she wanted the moment to last forever, they faded away and left her all alone. By the time she had seen Sunil and Vinnie fade away for the tenth time each Mango had enough. Her temper began to flare as she wished the dream would finally end. It was hard enough for her to say good bye to them in the real world. Mango couldn't handle having to see them leave her over and over again. Her teeth gnashed as she began to run away. If she never stopped moving a new scenario couldn't begin. Maybe if she ran long enough the hours would fly by and she would wake up. Deep down Mango knew that even if she woke up the real world was not much better at the moment._

 _Grass began to appear underneath her paws. She continued to run and tried to ignore the scenery that began to surround her. Tall trees with sinister looking branches began to cover a black sky. Moldy logs, rocks, and branches littered the ground. Breathing heavily from the excessive running, Mango simply jumped over them all. She heard noises coming from the thick foliage around her but simply ignored them. If she moved nothing would be able to catch her. Not a monster, not an animal, and especially not Vinnie or Sunil. At least, that was what she hoped. Her yellow eyes remained fixed on the path in front of her. Mango feared that if she averted her gaze she would lose her resolve and collapse. She was so tired._

Keep going. I have to keep going. _Mango thought as she jumped over another log._

 _Her back leg got caught on one of the small branches growing out of the rotting log and caused her to collapse. Jolts of pain shot through her body like lightning. Grimacing, Mango looked back to see the damage. Tears blurred her vision and caused her eyes to burn. In the distance she noticed a shadow moving through the trees. It had glowing eyes and sinister teeth. Fear filled Mango as she realized that she couldn't run anymore. Panting, she desperately tried to stand but collapsed when she tried to put weight on her injured leg. It spasmed and twitched as she lay on the ground. Whimpering and alone, Mango waited as the shadow got closer._

 _"Please, just leave me alone." Mango whispered as it loomed over her._

 _She knew that it was futile to try and talk to the shadow, but it was all she could think of. Mango closed her eyes so she would not have to see whet the shadow actually was. Hopefully it would be quick and painless. Just as soon as her eyes shut, there was a blinding light. Warmth surrounded Mango as the light grew stronger. In a matter of seconds, the light had appeared and vanished. Shivering from shock, Mango opened her eyes to find that the menacing creature had disappeared. She suspected that the warm light had something to do with the monster's strange disappearance. But where had the light come from? What was the light? Mango looked around to try and see if she really was alone. She gasped when she looked above her._

 _"It's you." Was all she could manage to say as she recognized someone she had seen only once before, in a dream._

 _He was standing over her protectively. Gazing down at her, he reached a paw out and helped her to her feet. He was a blurred figure, all she could tell was that he was a pet. She had first seen him when she had been running through a forest in another dream. That forest had been calmer and he been created out of a pile of leaves. Back then she had desperately wanted to see his eyes. Mango felt the same amount of urgency as she leaned against the pet. He supported her weight because she could not use her injured leg. He had his arms around her in order to keep her from falling. Once Mango was steady and able to balance on her three remaining legs he let go of her and turned to leave. Mango quickly grabbed him with a paw and turned him around so he could face her._

 _"Wait. Who are you? Why are her in my dream again?" Mango asked as she held his arm with her paw. She needed answers._

 _He did not say a word and just brushed her paw off of his arm. Turning once more, he began to walk away. His footsteps were silent and he glided across the ground as if he was not even touching it. Mango watched him get smaller as he got further away. Desperate, she tried once more to stop him but he was out of her reach. Lurching forward, she lost her balance and hit the ground. Shock coursed through her body before settling on her injured leg. Tears began to fill her eyes as she waited for the pain to impact of the fall took her breath away for a moment. As soon as she regained her voice however, Mango called out to him._

 _"Please don't go. I need your help. I don't know what to do!" Mango yelled. "I don't know what to do." She whispered the last part to herself as she realized that she truly had no idea what she was going to do once she woke up. She was out of ideas and out of hope._

 _The figure stopped. He turned to look at her again, but did not come closer._

 _"Can I at least see your eyes?" Mango pleaded as the tears streamed down her face._

 _He slowly shook his head no and disappeared._


	26. Chapter 26: Dance

Chapter 26: Dance

Mango walked into the Day Camp area with her ears down and her tail dragging. Her heart had failed her, her brain had failed her, and now even her dreams had failed her. She remembered how hurt she had felt when her last hope had just disappeared. She had been lying on the forest floor, crying and in pain, and he had just left. There was no one left to help her. She was finally on her own. Her bright yellow eyes were duller than normal as she scanned the room she was in. Zoe had stayed over night and placed all the decorations like she had said she would. Mango had to admit that it all looked very festive.

Bunches of blue balloons the color of Sunil's fur were taped to the walls. They were large and covered with small light blue stars. Mango loved the way they looked when they bounced off of each other. Her ears perked up slightly as she noticed that other balloons were taped to the stage where Sunil would perform his magic trick. Some balloons had wiggled free and floated up on the ceiling but Mango did not mind. They only added to the fun feeling the room had. Yellow streamers covered the ceiling and the walls as well. They were made of a soft paper that Mango loved to caress with her paws. Once she had felt the streamers for long enough she wandered the room to see what else she could find. A banner had been hung over the door that said Happy Birthday Sunil and surrounding it was blue and yellow streamers intertwined. Confetti littered the entire ground in the theme's colors of blue and yellow. Mango knew that once the party was over they were going to have a lot of cleaning up to do. Giggling, Mango scooped some confetti off of the ground and threw it into the air. It gently floated down and landed on her head. She shook it off and went to check the DJ station.

Some DJ equipment was placed in a corner of the room for Buttercream Sundae to use once the party began. She lived in Sweet Delights and would be able to come at a moment's notice. Mango adored that hyperactive little bunny. There was never a dull moment with Buttercream Sundae in the room. Whenever Mango felt sad she liked to imagine her friend Buttercream asking her why she was so downy wowny powny and what she could do to raise her spirits to the sky with pie fly my. A smile formed on Mango's face as she took a moment to just look at the equipment. So far the party was going to be amazing.

A small pile of presents was piled up in the center of the room. Boxes covered in colorful wrapping paper and bows were stacked on top of each other. There was a total of seven. One from every pet and Blythe. Mango had not put her small, homemade present there yet. She had not had a chance to finish it and hoped that she had arrived at the Day Camp area early enough for her to get it done. She noticed Zoe asleep on some cushions and decided to stay silent. Zoe had probably been up most of the night to get the party together. She would need her rest once the party began. Mango gingerly tip toed over to the pile of toys. She pushed a few over, being careful not to make any squeak, and found the small notebook she had hid there the day before. It had been a hectic day and Mango had barely found any time to stash her journal. The yellow book was bright and she took a few minutes to look at the cover before opening it.

 _I have to make this the best present I have ever made._ Mango thought as she found a pencil and began to write. She caressed her golden necklace as she did. Every now and then her eyes would wander to the ribbon that stuck out of the pages of the book. _This has to be amazing. I need to show Sunil how much I care. I want to make sure he knows that he is the most sensitive, magical, cowardly, interesting, kind, incredible pet I have ever met. I want to let him know how much I enjoy spending time with him. How much I look forward to his magic shows. How much I love him._

Mango stopped writing immediately. Lost in her thoughts, she had simply been thinking the first things that came to her head. She had not really paid attention to what was happening in her mind and was focusing more on the task in front of her. But at that moment she realized what had happened. What she had said in her head… and how she had actually meant it. It could not be. That wasn't possible. After all the time she had spent trying to decide. After all the resources she had exhausted trying to come up with an answer. After all the pain it had caused her for the last few days. Was it really that simple? Mango felt like slapping a paw to her face. Of course it was that simple. She had only needed to take a moment to relax and just let the answer come to her. Her stomach flopped as she realized that she had been trying too hard.

Just to make sure that what she thought was the truth actually was the truth, she took a moment to think about Sunil. Before she knew what was happening her heart was racing a million miles a minute. Her mouth became dry and she began to shiver. Mango's eyes began to grow wide as she saw the image of Sunil in her mind. He was striking. His lean body, bright fur, and glowing eyes burned in her mind. Memories of the times she had shared with Sunil all raced back to her. When he had comforted her in the fire hydrant, when he had shared his special magic trick with her, and when he had confessed his love. Mango had felt unbelievable joy when she had heard him tell her he loved her. Now she could not wait for him to feel the same joy when she told him with absolute certainty that he was her one and only love.

"You can't force love. You just have to let it come to you." Mango whispered to herself as she thought about her discovery. A smile formed on her face. She could not wait for the party.

...

Russell was the first pet to arrive after Mango. He took one look at the concentration of her face and decided to quietly look around the room to see if everything was in order. Zoe had done a swell job. He had only had to straighten a few presents that had been out of line by two and a half centimeters. All in all it was a superb job. Maybe a little unsymmetrical with the placement of the balloons, but he couldn't expect everyone to have read the Manuel On How To Prepare A Symmetrical Party. He shook his head with wonder. What did these pets do when they were at home? Had any of them even picked up a book lately?

Russell laughed at himself as he realized that he knew one who probably had read even more books then he had. Mango seemed to always have a book stashed somewhere in the Day Camp. He had accidentally sat on a few once or twice. Luckily his spines hadn't damaged the book, but he sure had been sore for a while. Russell shivered as he remembered sitting on one of Mango's thousand page books. It had taken some time before he was able to sit comfortably. He couldn't blame her though. In fact, he had one or two books stored safely in the Day Camp as well for when things got slow enough for him to read. His light green eyes lit up as he recalled one book he had stored not too far from where he was at the moment. In no time at all he was comfortably sitting on the floor with a large novel in his paws.

He would look up every few minutes to check if everything was still serene. Mango was still scribbling away and Zoe was still napping. If a pet walked in he would quickly motion to the two pets and bring a finger to his lips signaling for them to remain quiet. The others simply moaned softly and went off in search of quiet things to do. Russell winced every time Minka moved. She was like a firework ready to go off. He hoped that Sunil would arrive soon so the party could get started. Blythe had said she would join the party as soon as she finished the birthday outfit she was making for Sunil. If his calculations were correct, which they usually were, she would be down in a few minutes. Once she arrived the others could get in their surprise positions.

Russell returned to his book and forgot about the other pets in the room for a few minutes. He was lost in an epic tale of heroes, sirens, and storms. Although it was unreasonable, he soon found himself hoping that the hero would make it out alive. Russell knew that no matter how hard he wished the book's ending would stay the same, but some books were good enough to reject common sense. Mango cried out in triumph as she finished writing in hers. The sparkle in her bright eyes hinted that her book might be one of those books. Before he knew what was happening the bell of the Littlest Pet Shop door began to jingle merrily as someone walked in. Quickly, he rolled into a ball and zipped over to the window to see who was arriving. It was Sunil's owners coming to drop him off for the day. It was time for the party!

"Everyone! Sunil is coming!" Russell yelled to the other pets.

Chaos ensued as the pets began scrambling to their hiding places. Penny Ling hid underneath a large pile of cushions. Pepper jumped into the toy bin, yelling in pain as she landed on one of her rubber arrows. Minka was huddled inside of the tire swing. She quickly snatched her tail up so it wouldn't hang in view. Zoe yawned and rubbed her eyes before dashing behind some large blocks. Mango quickly stuffed her book under a pillow before climbing inside of the fire hydrant. Vinnie was slower to reach his position because he spent a few minutes running in circles panicking but eventually he dove behind the large chair. Russell simply rolled into a ball and blended in with a pile of spiky ball toys. He heard a squeaking noise and uncurled enough to see Blythe opening the dumbwaiter. Frantically waving his paws, he motioned for her to stay inside. She smiled and nodded, leaving the dumbwaiter open a crack so she could see when to come out.

The Day Camp door opened slowly. Sunil was always timid when walking into a room and liked to stick his head in before fully coming inside. The other pets knew this and waited until he had completely stepped into the room. He had a look of utter confusion on his face as he glanced around the seemingly empty Day Camp. Tentatively, he took a few steps forward. His ears lowered as he tensed in anticipation. He knew that something was going to happen, he just didn't know exactly what.

"Calm down Sunil. There is nothing to be scared of." Sunil comforted himself softly.

Gaining more confidence, Sunil straightened his back and began to walk normally.

"SURPRISE!" Eight voices yelled out simultaneously as they jumped out from their hiding spots.

The sound of a shriek could be heard above the noise. Sunil's fur was sticking up, his eyes had shrunk to pinpricks, and he was at least three feet in the air. The other pets waited for him to relax and begin to breathe normally before approaching him. They all wore smiles on their faces. Mango stepped closer to Sunil and placed a paw on his back. Trying to suppress a laugh she gave him a reassuring smile before removing her paw. Russell swallowed a giggle and quickly explained to Sunil what was going on.

"Sunil, we all wanted to throw this surprise birthday party for you because you were in India for your real one." Russell said calmly.

"Were you surprised?" Penny Ling asked with a giggle.

"Yes." Sunil said while holding a paw to his heart.

"GOOD!" Minka yelled at the top of her strong lungs.

Mango sent a smile Minka's way before speaking. "We have lots of fun things planned. So why don't we get this party started?" Her tail wagged as she finished talking.

A chorus of cheers and hollers quickly proceeded. They all grabbed Sunil and dragged him to the area with the DJ equipment. The pets were full of energy and needed to burn some of it off. Blythe quickly joined in when she saw the pets beginning to dance. Laughter echoed through the room as they watched Buttercream Sundae get out the record she had chosen and begin to move the disk with her feet. Music blasted through the speakers and made everybody's feet begin to dance. It was an upbeat tune that had great vocals and an awesome rhythm. Perfect for dancing.

"Let's dance attack Jack!" Buttercream yelled out with glee as she began to scratch the record with her paws. Her ears were randomly moving around on top of her head in time with the music.

"What is she saying?" Pepper asked as she waved her tail around.

"Who cares!" Zoe responded with a twirl.

Everyone danced with joy as the song progressed. Waving arms flew through the air. Kicking legs swung on the ground. Heads bobbed back and forth. All the worries washed away as they danced. For a few moments everything was perfect. Vinnie decided to use the opportunity to try out some of his newest dance steps. His legs kicked up once, twice, three times before he suddenly fell backward and landed on the floor. It was not a long fall and he did not feel hurt. Maybe a little winded, but he recovered quickly. Everyone around him was too busy dancing to notice his accident. Not minding, he began to push himself up quickly, eager to rejoin the dancing. In his haste he slipped and fell once again. He tried to push himself up but to his surprise felt arms pulling him to his feet. His purple eyes went upward and rested on Sunil's golden ones. Vinnie cleared his throat and smiled awkwardly. He wasn't sure how to react. Sunil was his best friend, but they had been through a rough few days and he wasn't sure how angry Sunil was with him. At the moment Vinnie didn't know what to do.

Sunil just smiled and gently nudged Vinnie.

For a few seconds Vinnie just stared at Sunil. Then he realized the meaning of the nudge. Smiling with joy and relief, Vinnie pushed Sunil back a little harder and began to dance. Sunil quickly followed and began to do his signature robot dance. It was not a very complicated dance but he always felt happy when he did it. It made him feel powerful, like he actually was as strong as metal. Vinnie waved his arms and legs around in a complicated way. He enjoyed fast dances because it challenged his skills. Although they had not said a word both of them knew that everything was going to be fine. Whether it was the music, the fact that it was Sunil's birthday, or just their close friendship, everything seemed to have been fixed in a matter of seconds. All they wanted to do at that moment was to dance.

...

Mango panted heavily once the dancing had ended. She did not know how long the music had lasted but she guessed it was at least a couple of hours. She stretched and gave a small squeak when her back popped. Mango's legs were beginning to feel sore so she slowly moved them around. Her gaze drifted around the room to the other pets. It seemed that they were as tired as she was. Minka was actually laying on the ground out of breath. Of course,that was probably because she had spent the entire time racing around the room like a tornado. A smile formed on Mango's face when she noticed Vinnie and Sunil leaning against each other for support. They were breathing hard and beginning to slump on the ground but it was obvious that they were happy. Mango had never seen such a twinkle in their eyes. She did not know what had happened while everyone was dancing, but it had fixed their friendship. A sigh escaped her lips as she finally allowed her body to relax. Now she could go through the party with no worries.

 _I am so stiff._ Mango thought as she took a few steps forward. There was still plenty of activities left in the party though and no time to waste.

"Alright everyone. Who wants to play some games?" Mango asked once she was able to move without wincing.

A small chorus of cheers met her ears as the pets tried to stretch away their soreness. Sunil laughed when Vinnie fell on the floor after his legs gave out. As a punishment, Vinnie grabbed Sunil's legs and caused him to fall as well. The two simply laid there for a few minutes as they tried to catch their breath. Mango resisted the urge to plop down next to them and focused on choosing a game for them all to play. She finally settled on one of Sunil's favorites. Her eyes lit up as she announced what they would be playing.

"Let's play Red Light, Green Light!" Mango yelled out.

The games were uneventful and unexciting. The very kind of games Sunil enjoyed playing. Minka was the first one out. This was because she did not stop moving when the first Red Light was announced. Instead she had proceeded to bounce around the room while yelling out the words Red Light. Her tail brushed against Mango's nose when she bounced by her. Eyes watering and nose twitching, Mango desperately tried not to sneeze. Her fur fluffed as she took a deep breath. But she was unable to contain it. Like a storm, it suddenly burst out of her.

"A-a-a-a-a-aaaaaaCHOOOO!" Mango sneezed. Sniffing, she sat down and waited for the others to finish playing the game.

 _I'm out. Thanks a lot Minka._ Mango sulked. She had thought she had a pretty good shot at winning too.

In the end the Red Light, Green Light winner was of course, Sunil. He was able to go completely still in a split second. When he froze his fur did not even move. It seemed like he did not even breathe. It was as if he was a statue. Mango guessed he was able to be completely still because when everything scared you it was necessary to be able to hide in a moment's notice. What was a weakness in many things was actually his greatest strength when playing certain games. The other games all ended in the same way. Sunil was the victor and the other pets were left amazed at his skill. Mango felt immeasurable pride whenever he won a game. She did not mind losing as long as it was to him.

 _Come on Mango. Stop being such a sap. You find out you love him and suddenly he can do no wrong. I could still be mad at him. Remember when you got into that argument with him when Shahrukh was here? See, I can be mad at him._ Mango thought in amusement when Sunil had won the final game.

Sunil glanced her way and gave her a shy smile as he accepted the other pets congratulations. He then proceeded to give a small wave in her direction.

 _No I can't._ Mango thought as she gave a shy wave back.

...

Once the games were completed the pets all settled around the presents. It was obvious that it was time for Sunil to start opening. Obvious to everyone but the pet of honor himself. Sunil simply sat there watching everyone. He seemed to be waiting for someone else to make the first move. His tail was gripped firmly in his paws as his eyes darted at all of the pets looking at him. His big eyes were filled with anxiety as the silence stretched on. Finally, Russell realized that Sunil was not going to be the pet to start things off so he grabbed his own present and handed it to him.

The box was big and red with a blue bow tying it closed. With a smile, Russell gently placed it in Sunil's arms. It seemed slightly heavy and when Sunil held it his arms moved down slightly. Careful not to set it down on his paws, Sunil put the large box on the floor. He studied it for a few minutes before gingerly grabbing the bow. With the timid nature Sunil seemed to have with everything, he tugged at the ribbon until it came undone and fell into a pile on the floor. From the depths of the box Sunil lifted a large, leather bound book. The pages were slightly yellowed with age but none seemed to be severely damaged. The cover read Magic From The Magicians Of Old written in swirled, gold letters.

"Why, thank you Russell." Sunil said in awe as he opened the book. His eyes quickly scanned a few pages before he gently closed it and set it down next to him. "Who knows what I can learn from the magicians of old."

"I don't think that the book really is from the magicians of old Sunil." Russell said with a disbelieving look in his eyes. He stopped trying to explain that it was probably just a gimmick to sell the books when he noticed Sunil eagerly grabbing another box.

"That one is MINE!" Minka screeched as she saw Sunil raise a bright pink box over his head and gingerly shake it. When he opened it he was surprised to see a small, blank canvas. He turned to Minka with a confused look and simply pointed at his present.

"Thank you Minka?" Sunil said uncertainly.

"Silly Sunil, it's not done yet!" Minka said with a laugh and a roll of her eyes. She grabbed the canvas from Sunil's paws and set it against a wall. Quickly grabbing some of her paint cans she dipped her hands in them and prepared to fling her arms. Mentally counting to three in her head she waved her arms with a loud screech. Blue and yellow paint flung across the room and landed directly on the canvas. The paint exploded into the shape of fireworks all over the white background. Jumping up and down like a rabbit, she continued to toss more and more paint until the canvas looked like a complete firework display.

"Eee! Eee!" Minka yelled out as she ran over to retrieve Sunil's gift. "Here you go!"

Sunil accepted the still-dripping gift with a big smile. He made sure to wipe his paws off on his leg before grabbing the next box. The gift giving continued in the same manner and Sunil made sure to thank every pet once her received theirs. Zoe had given his a bedazzled cape and magicians hat. When Sunil had asked why it was so sparkly she had replied that it was for when he was famous and did shows in Vegas. That had brightened Sunil's face and caused him to giggle with joy as he donned the garments. Zoe smiled with delight when she saw the way the rhinestones gleamed in the light. He looked simply divine.

Penny Ling's gift was a box of tasty treats for him to enjoy when he got home. She explained that it was so he would not be sad once the party was over. After the gift had been put on top of the other gifts she had squeezed Sunil in a crushing bear hug. Gasping for breath and turning bluer by the second, Sunil thanked her and gave her a hug in return. Pepper gave him a rubber chicken flashlight so he would not have to fear the dark anymore. The light was brighter than expected and momentarily blinded Blythe and the pets. Sunil made sure to thank Pepper before placing the flashlight where it could harm no one else. Blythe's gift was a brand new birthday outfit. A deep blue sweater that had gold stars embroidered on the front and back. It was soft and not itchy in the slightest. Sunil smelled the warm scent of the cotton before rubbing it against his cheek.

"Here you go Sunster." Vinnie said as he personally handed Sunil his present. It was fairly small with a violet bow keeping it closed.

"Thanks… best buddy." Sunil said softly with a smile. He slowly took it from Vinnie's hands and stared at it for a few moments as if he wanted to make sure that it was actually there. Once the box was carefully opened Sunil saw that it contained a small, red ball. It was like a miniature version of the large ball that Vinnie and Sunil liked to toss to each other. He looked at Vinnie questioningly.

"We mastered catching the bigger one, so I figured we should go to level two." Vinnie said with a challenge in his eyes. "I think we can do it. Do you?"

Sunil stared into Vinnie's eyes. "I do." He replied with certainty.


	27. Chapter 27: I Love You

Chapter 27: I Love You

Everyone smiled and broke off into smaller groups to enjoy the party. Some went over to Buttercream who was still playing music, while others went to eat some snacks. Vinnie patted Sunil on the back before joining Minka and Zoe over by Buttercream to dance some more. The only two pets left by the presents were Sunil and Mango. Awkward silence stretched between them for a few minutes. Sunil's tail returned into his paws while Mango's eyes roamed everywhere but Sunil. Twisting his tail with concern, Sunil opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he noticed Mango open her's as well. He gestured for her to begin.

"Sunil, I… um… I never gave you my present." Mango said with her ears lowered.

"Oh… Ok." Sunil said quietly. That was not what he expected Mango to say.

Mango wandered over to a small pile of pillows and reached one paw under them. After a few seconds of searching she was able to find what she was looking for. She held a small yellow book adorned with orange flowers in her paws. Quietly, she sat down next to Sunil. They were close but not close enough for their fur to touch. Mango did not know why she did this but deep in her mind she felt that it was because now that she knew what she felt for Sunil she was slightly embarrassed by it. Mango cleared her throat before opening the book to where the blue ribbon was. She carefully set it to the side. Subconsciously, she smoothed it out so it would not become wrinkled. Her paws made sure to touch it gently.

"I wrote a special story for you." Mango said quietly with her eyes glued on the page.

"Ok." Sunil said without looking away from her face.

"Once upon a time…" Mango began.

...

 _She is so close._ Sunil thought as he watched Mango begin to read. He could feel her next to him. They were not touching, but he could still _feel_ her. He cleared his throat and tried to look at the book instead but soon found himself looking at her face again. _So close._

 _"_ Once upon a time, there was a wolf. She was alone. She had no friends and nobody to care for her or for her to care for in return. It was a lonely existence but she did not notice because she had never really lived any other way." Mango began. Her eyes began to mist as she read.

Sunil almost reached over to wipe her eyes but stopped himself. _I don't know if she wants me to touch her. If she did she would not have sat such a strange distance away._

"One day she arrived at a strange place. The inhabitants were friendly and welcomed her with open arms. She was overwhelmed with a sudden feeling of joy. Finally she had friends."

 _Her fur is so shiny. She must keep it very clean for it to shine in the light like that. Like the sun is caught on her fur. So shiny, so close._ Sunil felt his paw twitch but forced it to stay still.

"But before she knew what happened, they found out a secret about her. A secret that everyone found out eventually. Whenever someone found out they always feared her. The warm welcoming place was no different. So she ran."

 _Poor wolf. How can pets be so cruel? Who could ever turn away such a sweet creature. Someone so trusting, so kind… so close._ His paw began to twitch again.

"She ran and hid. She hoped that no one would ever find her, but she also hoped that someone would. It was strange and confusing, but she remained hidden. Suddenly, she heard a sound from behind. It was one of the locals. He came to comfort her… He came and he was not afraid. For a moment, _she_ was the one afraid."

 _This is such a sad story… But it's kind of beautiful too._ Sunil saw the mist around Mango's eyes grow.

"They talked and eventually they laughed. She had a friend again but this time she knew that she had a _real_ friend. When they returned to the others she found out that they all wanted to be her friend. Everything was perfect again. Now she had many friends, but deep down she always knew that he was special. Time passed and things seemed to change. She felt different when she was around him. It was new and scary. For once she knew what it was like to be scared of something she did not understand."

 _Her eyes are so wet. I want to wipe them but I can't. She is too far away._ Sunil forced his eyes to go to the book instead.

"After a while she began to suspect what was happening, but she was still afraid. She was confused and scared. She tried to run away again, but like before he followed her. He always followed her when he thought she needed him. The wolf sought answers. She asked her mind, she asked others, she asked her heart… No one could help her. She felt so alone. But she was never alone. They were always there with her. So, she had to get rid of them. Lies helped them stay away for a little while. But somehow they just came back."

 _I never really noticed how nice her handwriting is. So neat and small._ Sunil forced his eyes to remain on the page. They wanted to wander back to Mango, but he kept them away.

"She couldn't hide anymore. For a moment, she just wanted to give up. But then something happened. She realized that she could never run away from what she felt because she had been feeling it for a long time. She had just not realized it until then. She cherished the gifts he had given her. Like a ribbon that reminded her of his fur."

 _What is she doing?_ Sunil thought as he noticed Mango set the book down.

...

Mango grabbed the ribbon she had next to her and placed it on the book. She did not need to look at the book anymore. She knew this part by heart. Her eyes still glistened as she continued to tell the story.

"Or like a necklace that reminded her that she was not alone." Her dainty paws caressed the necklace that hung on her neck. She gazed at it for a moment before looking up at Sunil's face. His gold eyes were confused. Mango smiled as she continued her story.

"Like a picture she had by her bed of the day they met, because it reminded her of the best day of her life." Mango's mind wandered to the time Sunil and her had fought. He had put together an entire show to apologize and at the end he had given her a framed picture of them together. Every night before bed she looked at the picture and remembered the joy she had felt that day. She had not had a nightmare since she had put the picture by her bed.

"She also cherished him. The way he talked to her. Every sentence was like a poem, spoken so softly and warmly. The way he comforted her when she needed him most without having to ask. The way he ran away from the many things that scared him but never hesitated to come to her rescue. His golden eyes." She moved forward and grabbed his paws gently.

Sunil stared at her with a mixture of fear and confusion. He gulped and gave a nervous chuckle when Mango moved a little closer to him. He could smell her scent, see the glisten of her fur, and the emotion in her eyes. Mist still covered them but he dared not wipe it away yet. He could tell that she was not done with her present.

"His soft fur." Mango pressed herself against Sunil's body. She gently sunk her head into his furry chest and breathed in his scent. He was so soft, like a cloud. Mango had never felt safer than she did at that moment.

Sunil's breathing began to quicken once Mango's fur made contact with his own. She was even softer than he had imagined. Her scent was sweet and soft like the way she felt. Without hesitation, he gently placed his head on top of her's and returned the hug. He squeezed her gently. He did not hear anything but the sound of her breathing, did not see anything but her, and did not feel anything but her touch.

"But most importantly, the fact that he loved her… and she loved him." Mango said quietly with her head still on his chest. "I love you Sunil. I'm sorry that it took me this long to say it the right way. I understand if you don't feel the same way anymore. After all I made a mess of things. I'm so sorry…" Mango could feel the mist in her eyes turn into a trickle. Finally the dam broke and she found herself sobbing into his chest. She tried to be quiet about it so he would not notice.

Sunil looked down and saw the moisture in Mango's eyes begin to flow. He could feel his fur be soiled by her salty tears. It was as if all the stress and sadness she had felt the past few days was leaving through her eyes. He was getting so wet. She was so sad. Sunil could not take it anymore. She was close enough now.

He gently wiped the tears away from her eyes. She looked up at him in surprise when she felt the water be wiped away. Her yellow eyes still dripped so he wiped them once more. Gently, he put a paw under her head and placed his forehead on hers. His eyes were glowing with warmth as he stared into them. Mango's mouth was slightly agape with confusion. Chuckling softly, Sunil began to talk.

"Mango, of course I still love you. I have never stopped. I know that these past days were hard on you and that you were scared. Trust me, I understand what it is like to be scared." Sunil began softly.

"But I…" Mango said in a quivering voice.

Sunil cut her off gently. "Being scared is nothing to be ashamed off. It is natural and what is important is that you were able to overcome your fear. A few moments ago you spoke what was in your heart even though you were afraid. That is amazing Mango."

Mango smiled softly and closed her eyes, focusing only on the sound of his voice.

"I love you Mango." Sunil said, a smile forming on his face. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Mango said with a smile.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes before Sunil became bold enough to move. He tenderly raised Mango's head up until he was staring straight into her eyes. His eyes seemed to ask a question that only she could understand. After a few moments of confusion, Mango's eyes lit up with fear. Her body began to shiver as she realized what he was asking. She had never been in a situation like that before and didn't know what to do.

 _Oh my gosh. What do I do? I've never done this before. What if I do something wrong? What am I even supposed to do? What if…_ Mango's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Sunil's voice.

"It's ok Mango. You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Sunil said as he began to lower her head.

Before she knew what was happening, Mango jerked her head forward. Her lips made contact with Sunil's before either of them could react. Mango's eyes widened before slowly closing shut. His lips were so warm. Her body relaxed and she was soon leaning against Sunil. He was the only thing holding her up. His arms held her tightly as she placed her paws on his furry chest. He was so soft… She could feel her tail wagging while she continued to press herself against Sunil's warm body. His arms tightened around her for a moment, squeezing her even harder against him. But it was not a forceful squeeze. It was gentle and caring. Mango eagerly accepted his embrace and surrendered herself to the kiss.

...

Sunil had never felt happier than he had at that moment. Mango had conquered her fear and realized how she truly felt. Now Sunil did not have to feel afraid or guilty. She had chosen him on her own and he could not be prouder of her. He smiled as he looked into her bright eyes. Feeling bold by what had just happened, he slowly lifted her head up and gazed even deeper into them. He wanted nothing more than to prove his love to her. He wanted her to feel how much she meant to him and he wanted to know how much he meant to her. Sunil had never done anything like this before and was not sure how to proceed. He settled with continuing to stare into her eyes. Silently, he pleaded for her to understand what he was asking.

After a few moments, he could see Mango's eyes light up with understanding. But they also lit up with fear. He could feel her body vibrating as she worried about what to do next. Sunil could always tell when Mango was afraid. Her ears lowered slightly and the fear in her eyes began to turn into panic, but she did not run away. Not wanting to cause her any more alarm, he softly spoke to her.

"It's ok Mango. You don't have to do anything you don't want to." He said reassuringly. Slowly, so he would not startle her, he began to lower her head away from his.

 _Mango has had an alarming, life changing experience. It is best not to rush things or frighten her further._ Sunil thought as he chastised himself for going too fast. He should have known better than to rush things with an emotionally delicate pet like Mango. As much as she thought of herself as his rock, Sunil suspected that he would have to help support her as well.

 _We can help each other._ He thought with a smile.

Without warning his thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of something pressing against his face. He had not noticed Mango move forward towards him. Her lips quickly made contact with his before he had a chance to understand what was happening. Sunil's heart began to race faster than a speeding train once he finally realized what was going on. Mango was kissing him. He was kissing Mango. He was actually _kissing_ Mango. Even more incredible was the fact that she had been the one to kiss him first. Sunil had been sure that Mango would not be ready for something like that for quite some time. Any other rational thoughts were shoved away once he realized how soft her lips were.

Almost as quickly as the kiss, Mango's legs gave out from underneath her. Sunil was soon supporting all of her weight. He did not mind at all. He actually enjoyed the feeling of her body pressing against him, depending on him for support. Her fur mingled with his own as he held her, eyes closed in ecstasy. Wanting to feel her even closer to him, Sunil gently squeezed Mango. His arms pushing her deeper into his embrace… He was relieved when she did not struggle and accepted it happily. The kiss seemed to become even sweeter after that moment. It was as if they both had agreed to just surrender themselves to what was happening.


	28. Chapter 28: Magic Tricks

Chapter 28: Magic Tricks

Russell smiled as he helped clean up after the party. Everything could not have gone better. Vinnie was happy, Mango was happy, and Sunil was _definitely_ happy. He chuckled slyly as he remembered the scene he had witnessed not that long ago. Russell had been relaxing by the snacks, lost in thought when he had noticed Mango and Sunil talking. It did not seem to be a normal conversation either. There had definitely been deep emotions swirling around inside of them. It had seemed like they might _finally_ confess their feelings. Careful not to spoil the moment, Russell had tactfully looked away. He had not wanted to intrude on what had seemed to be a tender scene.

After a few moments of wandering thoughts he had decided to take a quick peek at the two of them to make sure that everything was going smoothly. Russell's big eyes had widened even larger when he had noticed Mango's eyes watering. She had appeared to be reading from a book. Whatever was written inside must have been very engaging because Sunil's face had not left it for the longest time. For a moment Russell had suspected that Sunil had been focusing only on the book on purpose. It was as if he was afraid to look at Mango's face. He smiled as he watched the scene develop. All thoughts of tact had fled his mind and he soon was as immersed in what was going on as the two pets. Thankful that no one else had noticed Sunil and Mango, Russell had made sure to not do anything that could possibly catch another pet's attention. The last thing he had wanted was for someone to spoil the moment.

He had risked looking away for a moment in order to grab a quick snack. When he had focused on the two pets again he was surprised to see that Mango was no longer reading the book. Instead she had been facing Sunil and pointing at objects while talking. She had seemed to get closer with every new item. Suddenly, she had been touching Sunil, gently pressing herself into his fur. Russell had debated whether or not he should look away. Before he could decide he had noticed that things had changed drastically. Mango had begun to sob into Sunil's fur.

 _What happened? Something must have went horribly wrong._ Russell had thought with disappointment. He had begun to compile a list of possible things that could have caused Mango to cry. _Maybe she is just nervous. Or Sunil could have decided he no longer has feelings for her. Poor Mango, after finally working up the courage to tell him, rejection would just devastate her._

"I better go down there and help…" Russell had said quietly. But his voice suddenly stopped when he had saw the scene before him.

Mango and Sunil had been locked in each other's embrace, tenderly kissing one another. Both pets had gingerly held one another as they shared the feeling of each other's lips on their own. Russell had stared in absolute shock. After a few moments he had turned away with a scarlet face. Based on what he had seen, the two pets had no intention of ending their embrace any time soon. Not wanting to draw attention to something that _none_ of the pets needed to be seeing, he had quietly continued to eat. Not too long after the party had died down, the pets had begun to clean up.

Now Russell was picking up torn wrappers and discarded bows. His face still shone with a smile as he hummed to himself. As he passed the stage he realized that Sunil had never had his magic show. His light green eyes darted about as he tried to locate Mango. Not to his surprise, he saw Mango and Sunil cleaning up side by side. They both were placing their discarded trash in the same pile. Their gazes seemed to linger for a moment each time they reached the pile. Almost as quickly as the gazes began they would end and both pets would turn with heated faces back to clean up. Russell rolled his eyes playfully before deciding that Mango and Sunil did not seem bothered by this lapse of judgement, so he would not bother them. His attention was being dragged away by the uneven rows of pet treats Penny Ling was stacking anyway.

"That Penny Ling. Such a cute panda, but not the best cleaner." Russell chuckled as he wandered over to the purple panda to help.

...

Mango gently placed the wrapper in the pile she and Sunil had been creating in between them. Her mind flickered back to the kiss they had shared. Her cheeks burned as she remembered the feeling. Mango had not known what had gotten into her. It was as if she had no control over herself for a moment. Once she had suddenly realized what she was doing, she had decided that she was _perfectly_ fine with what was happening. Mango shook her head to clear it and focus on the task at hand. The room was not going to clean itself. She snuck one quick glance in Sunil's direction and was surprised to see him doing the same. Giggling quietly, she gave him a small smile. Mango's ears pricked up with joy when she noticed his cheeks redden as he smiled back.

 _I don't think I've ever been this happy._ Mango thought as she placed her final shred of paper on the pile. Her paw gently brushed Sunil's as he placed his last item on the pile as well. Mango smiled and then jumped as a thought crossed her mind. Sunil had never performed his magic show. All the effort and work that had gone into making the pets agree, setting the stage, planning when it would happen, and it had never happened. Her bright eyes shone with worry as she tried to explain what had happened to Sunil. Before she could finish apologizing for forgetting, Sunil placed a gentle paw on her mouth and silenced her.

His golden eyes shimmered as he waved his hands around, causing a bouquet of flowers to appear. "There is only one pet that I want to perform for right now and I am looking right into her sun eyes." He replied in his poetic voice.

Mango smiled and accepted the flowers, before sitting down and waiting for more magic. When Sunil put on a show he always made sure to have multiple acts. When she had asked him why, he had simply replied that it was so he could be sure that _everyone_ enjoyed the show. After all, it was a magician's job to entertain others. Although, Mango also thought that it was their job to bring magic into the world. She knew that it desperately needed it and admired Sunil for that. Her tail wagged as she waited for his next trick. Mango's eyes grew larger as Sunil pulled his wand out from nowhere. He began to wave it around his head once, twice, three times before a shower of glitter erupted from the tip. The glitter was golden and did not simply fall to the ground. It swirled around her again and again until she was surrounded in a glitter tornado. Mango was unafraid however because she knew Sunil was a great magician and she trusted him wholeheartedly.

Her eyes closed as she felt the glitter stick to her fur. Soon she was completely covered in the golden flakes. They sparkled in the light as Mango turned to get a better look at herself. She let loose with a small howl of joy before sitting back down so Sunil could continue. Mango could swear that she heard Sunil chuckle when she had howled. If any other pet had done that Mango would have assumed that they were mocking her, but she knew that Sunil simply liked it when she howled. He never was scared of her. Her eyes softened as the glitter slowly removed itself from her and danced through the air. They changed colors and swirled around her and Sunil as if it was the dust from hundreds of fairies.

"It looks so…" Mango began.

"Magical?" Sunil finished for her with a smile.

"Yeah… That was a dumb thing to say huh?" Mango said with a bashful smile.

"Not at all. More like… an adorable observation." Sunil said as the glitter formed a large pink heart in front of her. He snapped his fingers and the heart exploded before fading away.

Mango felt her face flush as the glitter evaporated. Her fur began to tingle as she felt his paw slide along her arm. His eyes shined with love and affection as his paw caressed her bright fur. Mango smiled and did not say a word. She knew that she did not need to. Everything that needed to be said could be said through a small smile and the glimmer of their eyes. Sunil's paw continued to stroke her as he waved the other one around in the air. A small flower appeared in his paw. It was bright pink with a bright green center. Mango stared in awe at its beauty. She had never seen a flower so vibrant before. Without a word, Sunil gently tucked the flower behind Mango's ear. When he did so he leaned forward so he could make sure the flower was secure. She smiled as he did, her mind racing as his face got closer to her's. Without hesitation she quickly pecked his lips with her own before he had a chance to lean away. A giggle escaped her lips when she saw the surprise in his face. His mouth slightly agape and his eyes riveted on her.

"What is the matter?" She asked playfully, while batting her eyelashes. "Not used to me being your special someone?"

"I… I… I…" Sunil stammered as he stared, mesmerized by her eyes.

"Come on, show me some more magic tricks." Mango said with excitement. Her tail wagged with happiness as she grasped Sunil in a hug. She took a moment to assure herself that she actually _was_ hugging Sunil and that it was not another dream that would fade away. _He's real. This is actually real._ Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears when she released him. Mango's face grew warm when Sunil quietly smiled and wiped them away with his paw.

"I will always show you magic tricks." Sunil said warmly.

Mango believed him.


	29. Chapter 29: True Love

Chapter 29: True Love

Mango hummed quietly as she wrote in her journal. Her tail wagged with contentment as the glittery pencil moved across the paper. She smiled as her paw caressed her necklace for a few moments before she resumed her writing. A blue ribbon laid on the floor next to the book, carefully spread out so it would not be bent or wrinkled. Mango stopped writing for a few minutes to glance up in front of her. He was practicing his magic tricks over on the other side of the room. Vinnie was over there with him, helping him set up his props and making sure that nothing was missing. She could feel her tail wag even faster at the sight of them together. It made her heart feel warm to see them being best friends again. Mango looked back down to the small book and continued to write.

 _Today is a wonderful day, the sun is shining brighter than ever before and the wild birds sing with joy. My heart is full and my tail is wagging. I absolutely love today. I absolutely love being in love. The feeling I get whenever I look at Sunil is amazing. It is like my entire body is being filled with sunshine. My fur begins to tingle, my heart flutters, and my eyes can not leave him. Deep down I know he feels the same and that makes the experience all the more thrilling. I never knew I could feel this way. To think that I have gone so long without knowing love, but now that I have it I never want to live without it again. But I know that I never will have to because Sunil would never do anything to hurt me. He will always be there for me and I swear to return the favor. I just love feeling safe._

 _Yesterday seems like a blur to me. I remember the party, him winning all the games and me feeling so proud. I remember the presents. I remember my heart pounding in my chest as I prepared to give him mine and the way it pounded even harder when we ended up sharing a kiss. We kissed one time after that but it was a quick peck, more like a playful whisper. Our lips have never touched the way they did for the first time, but whenever I see him I remember it vividly. Sometimes I have to turn away from the fear that he will see the way I blush. Just imagine what he would think of me if he knew how much I enjoyed the feeling of his lips on mine. He would probably think I was obsessed with him. He does not seem like the pet that enjoys contact more than a simple cuddle of hug. Of course he enjoyed the kiss, but he does not long for it like I do. But I don't love him just because of it, and even if he never wanted to do it again I would not mind it too much. He is worth giving up a thousand kisses._

 _I talked to Russell earlier today. He wanted to know how I was doing. His eyes seemed to laugh when he talked to me. I can only assume that he saw what happened between Sunil and I, but even if he did I don't mind. Russell is one of my closest friends and if anyone had to witness the moment I am glad it is someone I trust wholeheartedly. He will not tell anyone. I know he won't. We talked for a moment and I filled him in about the fact that I am in a relationship with Sunil now. He seemed overjoyed when I told him and embraced me in a prickly hug. His spines dug into me slightly but I did not mind at all. It felt great to be able to share my joy with someone other than Sunil. Once we finished our embrace he asked me if I wanted to know who was saying all the nice things about me. My mind flashed back to days before when Russell had let it slip that a pet was constantly admiring me._

 _I have to admit that I really wanted to know. I was desperate to know when I first found out and even tried to manipulate Russell into telling me once. I still feel slightly guilty about how Russell and I tried to play mind games with each other, but now we will be open with our feelings like true friends should. After all, Russell has never done anything to make me doubt his integrity. In fact we are going to start reading together in the Day Camp area. He got a new book and wanted to share it with me. But back to the problem at hand… I considered knowing and almost asked him who the pet was. Then I realized that it did not matter anymore. I love Sunil and if he was the pet who always admired me than that is wonderful, but if Vinnie was the one who talked to Russell then there is no point in me knowing when our friendship is finally secure. It felt good to gently tell him that I didn't need to know anymore and I could tell from his face that he felt good as well._

...

"Come on, she is right over there!" Vinnie whispered in a hushed tone.

"Vinnie! I am perfectly content practicing my magic tricks right now." Sunil whispered back with a frantic glance over to Mango. She seemed oblivious to the conversation they were having. He sighed in relief before turning back to face his friend.

Vinnie wore a smug smile on his face and wiggled his eyebrows up and down. "Sunil, you two got together _yesterday_ and you are _already_ afraid to mess things up. You should be in a… You know… Uh…" Vinnie's smile disappeared for a few moments while he thought of the right words. " Cloud of love or whatever, that stops you from freaking out for a least a week."

"My dear, green friend, that does not have any scientific proof. It is merely speculation." Sunil retaliated.

"Now you're starting to sound like Russell." Vinnie moaned.

"I only told you about what happened between Mango and I because you said that you would bode no ill will and would not bug me about it." Sunil said while rolling his eyes.

"I don't bode, was that the right word?" Vinnie began. He continued when Sunil gave him a reassuring nod. "Ill will. I just want to let you know that it is okay to want to kiss your girlfriend."

Sunil's eyes shrunk as he considered walking over to the writing Wolf. His feet began to shuffle in that direction before stopping as if they were glued to the floor. Grabbing his tail in his paws, he began twisting it rigorously before giving Vinnie a pleading look. His mouth opened to state his case before closing once he realized he did not have one. Vinnie was right. It was not strange to want to kiss someone he was romantically involved with. He still did not move however… He had no prior experience with relationships and did not even know where to start. Did he ask if she wanted a kiss? Did he just give her one? Would she be offended if he did? Sunil knew that Mango had a strong personality when it came to certain things, although she had never used it on him.

Vinnie rolled his violet eyes. Suddenly, they lit up as he had an idea. He smiled as he strutted over to Sunil. "Well, if _you_ aren't going to do anything."

Sunil quickly released his tail and grabbed the Gecko instead. "What do you mean?"

"Sunil, you can't avoid contact with your _girlfriend_ forever. She is not going to want to be in a relationship with someone who is afraid to be around her." Vinnie explained. "So, I figure that I'll take another shot at it."

Sunil's eyes twitched before his grip on Vinnie tightened slightly. "You will do no such thing! You have agreed that you are okay with my relationship with Mango and that you will do nothing to jeopardize that."

"Alright, then you go over there and kiss her instead." Vinnie said.

"I will!" Sunil proclaimed. His face went blank the moment the words were out of his mouth. Beads of sweat formed on his brow when he saw the look on Vinnie's face. "V-V-Vinnie." He stammered. "I never knew you could be so crafty."

"Whatever that means." Vinnie said with a shrug. "Now go over there." He gave Sunil a small push towards Mango.

Sunil began to slowly walk over while trying to resist the urge to turn tail and run the other way. His mouth turned dry and scratchy as he got closer and closer. Frantically, he tried to decide what he was going to do when he reached her. His thoughts remained as blank as a night sky with no stars. Hoping to stretch the time out further and give himself ample time to think, Sunil began to curve towards Russell instead. The Hedgehog was sitting down on his pet bed while reading a novel that was larger than he was. Sunil noticed Russell's green eyes darting back and forth quickly as he read the book. It seemed like he was immersed in the novel. Not knowing what to do, Sunil just cleared his throat. The dryness caused Sunil to begin to cough uncontrollably. He wheezed as he tried to breathe and entered a small moment of panic.

"Sunil, are you okay?" Russell asked with a concerned look.

"Oh, Russell… I did not see you there." Sunil said as he tried to look cool while gasping for air.

"Why are you here?" Russell asked in his usual no-nonsense tone.

"I just wanted to tell you that…" Sunil trailed off as he tried to find something to make an observation about. His golden eyes rested on Mango after a few moments. A wide grin spread across his face. It would be easy to find things to say about her, after all he had been commenting about her to Russell for quite some time. "Mango looks wonderful today doesn't she?"

"I suppose." Russell said with a knowing smile. He had anticipated this. _Mango is way to shy to try instigating something with Sunil and Sunil is way too scared to try anything either. But, eventually one of them is going to talk themselves into it. They just need someone to pretend to be talking to._

"Have you ever noticed how bright her fur is?" Sunil asked with big eyes.

"It is bright." Russell said with his eyes on his book.

"It is very soft you know. Sometimes we would lie down on the cushions and talk for hours. I would grab her paw with mine and she would slide over until I was holding her in my arms. It is strange that I did not think anything of it. Now if I held her I would be unable to think straight." Sunil said slowly.

"I have been unable to think straight once. I tried to be someone I was not." Russell commented as he thought back to when he tried to be Fun Russell. He shivered as he recalled all the dangerous stuff he had done when trying to be a fun pet. "I sure wish I had spent that day doing the things I love… with the pets I cared about."

"I understand Russell." Sunil said. "I would wish the same thing."

"You don't _have_ to wish anything." Russell said as he turned a page.

"You are right." Sunil said with determination flashing in his eyes. Without another word, he began briskly walking towards Mango. His throat was no longer dry and his steps did not falter. His brain was calm as he saw her and remained calm as he arrived. For a brief moment he considered turning around, but all thoughts vanished when she turned around and faced him. Sunil was confused for a moment because of the rosy blush in her cheeks. She quickly closed the journal she had been writing in. Her mouth moved as if she was saying something but he did not hear it at all. All he could focus on was her large eyes and the way they lit up when they were aimed at him. It made his heart flutter when she smiled at him as if she was waiting for him to respond. After a few moments of ignorant bliss, Sunil realized that she _was_ waiting for him to say something.

"Mango I…" Sunil began as he tried not to focus on her bright eyes.

 _Her eyes are the color of the sun._ Sunil thought as he melted into them. Without another word, Sunil scooped Mango up into his arms. She was even softer than he inhaled the faint scent of Mangos as she got closer. Sunil could feel his heart race faster as he held her and tried to prevent another panic attack. Her bright eyes were focused on his in the split second it took for her to be facing him to being held by him. One paw was supporting her back while the other one was supporting her head. His paws sunk into her soft fur. She had one arm draped around his neck while the other one rested on his shoulder. The feeling of her paws on him sent electric shocks throughout his body. His neck and shoulder seemed to tingle from her touch. The only thing stopping her from hitting the ground was Sunil's grip. Knowing this, Sunil made sure that his hold did not falter.

Before Sunil could think or Mango could speak, he lifted Mango's head to his and made contact. He stopped thinking the moment he felt her. All he could focus on was what was happening. The Pet Shop disappeared, everyone else disappeared… The only thing that existed was him and Mango. She was so warm, her lips were so sweet, and he never wanted to stop. Sunil felt Mango melt in his arms the moment their lips touched. She seemed to lose all use of her legs. The extra weight caused Sunil to stumble for a second before he regained his balance. Once she was supported again, Mango seemed to regain control of her body. Her paws tightened on him, causing more shocks to shoot through his body, and she pressed herself deeper into his embrace. Mango's wagging tail gently brushed against his legs and caused Sunil to laugh.

His laughter caused the kiss to be cut off and soon Mango was giggling along with him. They looked at each other for a moment, content to simply smile at each other. Mango's cheeks were pink as she realized that Sunil still held her. His eyes were dazed for a few moments before he realized why Mango was still blushing. He laughed once more before beginning to let go of her.

Before he could release her, Mango pulled herself closer to him. Her eyes twinkled with a mischievous light. Sunil smiled and said, "I love you."

Without another word, their lips touched again.

...

Penny Ling sighed as she watched the adorable exchange between her two friends. It made her so happy to see them being openly affectionate with one another. Now it was official. Mango and Sunil were a couple!

"Zoe, aren't they just the cutest couple you have ever seen?" Penny Ling giggled.

"I suppose they are a nice couple." Zoe sighed. "I can't believe it took this long for them to get together though."

"Well, some pets just take longer to realize things." Penny Ling said in an attempt to defend Mango and Sunil. "After all, some pets are friends for _years_ before they realize that they are in love."

"I guess…" Zoe admitted. "I wish I could find love."

"You will find love." Penny Ling comforted.

"I think the problem is that I find _too much_ love." Zoe said with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Those crushes weren't true love. You'll _know_ when you find true love." Penny Ling said with shimmering eyes. " I talked to Mango when we were trying to get her with Sunil. She explained what it felt like to be in love and it was _wonderful_ Zoe."

Zoe smiled. "I would like to hear that." She turned to see the look in the Panda's eyes. "Have you ever been in _true_ love?"

Penny Ling's cheeks burned bright crimson. "N-N-No. I don't think so. I mean, _probably_ not. What I am trying to say is… I don't know?"

Zoe's eyes lit up with excitement. "What? But you just said you would just know. Is he cute? Is he a Panda?" Suddenly, her eyes widened with shock. "Is he _here_?"

"I don't know if I am in love Zoe. When I do, I promise you will be the second person I tell." Penny Ling replied with a small giggle.

"Second?" Zoe asked with indignation. "Who is the first?"

Penny Ling gave her a small smile. "Mango."

The End


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